Arizona Democratic Reaction to the American Rescue Plan

AZ Central reporter Maria Polleta has provided an excellent summary of what Arizona will receive from the American Rescue Plan.

The Grand Canyon State is slated to receive just over $16 billion in aid.

$15 billion is targeted toward state and local government assistance.

Specifically, funds are earmarked for:

• Paying essential workers.
• Infrastructure projects like expanding broadband.
• Receive and administer COVID 19 testing and vaccines.
• The State Medicaid Program (ACHCCS.)
• Rural Community Health Centers.
• Reopening K-12 Schools and bridging the learning and digital gaps caused by the pandemic.
• Higher Education.
• Special Education and Pre School grants.
• Mortgage, rent, and utility assistance.
• Improving child care, adult care, and other social justice programs.
• Small business assistance.

Democratic activists and officials across Arizona have praised the passage of the American Rescue Plan and the positive impact it will have on the Grand Canyon State.

Samples of Democratic reactions are below.

Arizona Democratic Party Chairperson and LD 30 State Representative Raquel Teran:

“President Joe Biden and our Democratic Congress delivered a historic relief package to help those who have been hurt the most by the COVID-19 pandemic. This package includes direct cash payments to families, ramps up vaccination programs to get more shots in arms, and helps small businesses that have been ravaged by the pandemic. The American Rescue Plan provides the support we desperately need.”

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman:

“The latest round of federal relief and recovery dollars comes at a time of high need for Arizona’s schools and families as many prepare for a return to some degree of in-person learning. From teaching and learning to providing critical wrap-around supports, over the past year, every Arizonan has seen just how essential our schools are to our communities. I am grateful to the members of Arizona’s delegation who supported the American Rescue Plan, their advocacy and their votes are essential to our recovery as a state.”

Senator Kyrsten Sinema:

“Today’s legislation provides Arizona with needed relief to address our ongoing public health crisis and begin a full economic recovery. By listening to Arizonans and working with colleagues in both parties, we expanded vaccinations and resources for doctors and nurses across the state, including in our rural communities. We provided crucial support for everyday families, employers, and schools—and budget support for struggling Arizona cities, towns, and tribal communities to retain first responders and essential services. And we extended unemployment insurance for Arizonans out of work, and direct aid for Arizona restaurants so they can keep their doors open. Once the bill is signed into law, I’ll continue working closely with Arizona communities to ensure these resources are distributed quickly and appropriately, and my team and I will be ready to assist Arizonans with accessing this new support.”Ky

Senator Mark Kelly:

“I’ve talked with Arizona seniors, small business owners, educators, workers, mayors and others about how this pandemic has impacted them and their communities. It has been my top priority to get our state the resources we need to beat this virus and help those who need it most right now. This COVID-19 relief bill is going to provide immediate support to Arizona working families and small businesses, help reopen schools safely, get vaccines into peoples’ arms more quickly, and start getting our economy back on track.”

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero:

“On behalf of the City of Tucson, Arizona, I cannot overstate our gratitude to our Congressional Delegation for their tireless efforts to pass President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, and provide much-needed relief to small businesses and non-profits, workers and families, and local governments. We are lucky to have two staunch advocates for Tucson in the House in Congressman Raul M. Grijalva and Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick.
These funds represent a critical lifeline to so many Tucsonans who have been negatively impacted by the economic fallout caused by the pandemic. The City of Tucson is committed to continue being a strong partner with the federal government to quickly get these funds to community members who need them most.”

Flagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy:

“We are very excited for the possibilities that the American Rescue Plan will bring to Arizona and Flagstaff. We will be able to provide the assistance needed by our community to emerge from this pandemic even stronger and on a more solid footing.”

Josselyn Berry, spokesperson for Arizona Senate Democrats:

“A year ago this week, the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, and our lives changed forever. In the time since Senate Democrats have been fighting to get more relief and aid to Arizonans. On a national level, Democrats passed the American Recovery Plan that will send $12.3 billion to Arizona. More than a third of the sum, $4.8 billion, would go to the state’s coronavirus relief fund and could be used to respond to COVID or its economic impacts, increase pay for essential workers, and mitigate lost revenues or invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.”

Bonnie Heidler, Pima County Democratic Chairperson:

“First, Republicans like David Schweikert and Kevin McCarthy are totally misrepresenting what is in the package. Schweikert saying that the T***** tax cuts allowed businesses to raise people’s salaries is just not true. Many companies said that they were going to be using the money for infrastructure-type projects, not necessarily increasing salaries. But, let’s say they did increase salaries. Once COVID hit, people either lost their jobs or couldn’t spend their money because the economy closed for a period of time. And, what does this have to do with what is in the package?

Second, Kevin McCarthy saying that this “showers money on special interest” has no basis in reality. What special interest gets money out of this? Again, what does this have to do with the package?

Aside from what those Republicans are saying, how the $16B+ that Arizona will get is spent has me VERY concerned. I fear Ducey won’t allocate any money into improving schools’ infrastructure so that teachers and kids feel safe going back to school in-person. I fear Ducey won’t give any money to Pima County because it is a blue county…money that has been spent on COVID and is needed to help the county with vaccinations, schools, etc. And, testing has gone out the window already. We still need a test and trace plan.

Ducey has already earned my distrust by trying to be like Texas…open everything up and get rid of the mask mandate. This is NOT the time for things to go back to normal, yet. We are just in the beginning stages of making that happen. By opening everything up and removing mask mandates, not only will COVID continue to spread, but the possibility of mutations is HIGH. Although I will be getting my second shot on 3/25, I am still scared to death that I could get COVID. I still can’t return to normal because of what Ducey has done.”

Arizona Congressional District One House Representative Tom O’Halleran:

“The fallout of this pandemic has impacted every facet of American life, putting mothers and fathers out of work, keeping kids hungry, crushing our health care and frontline heroes, and closing the doors of many of our beloved small businesses. Today, we took action to get a new, strong legislative package to the finish line and deliver meaningful relief to American families, businesses, schools, and health care systems. With over 500,000 American lives lost to this deadly and isolating virus, now is not the time to pump the brakes.”

“As we move forward with the rollout of several safe and effective vaccines, each day brings our nation a step closer to normalcy. We have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we must not lose sight of the work ahead. I remain focused on providing the support and resources our communities need during this ongoing, developing crisis.”

Arizona Congressional District Two House Representative Ann Kirkpatrick:

“Arizona families’ lives and livelihoods have been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic crisis. With tens of millions of Americans infected, more than half a million lives lost, millions more unemployed and food and housing insecure, the time for action is now. Our highest needs and priorities are met by this bill. We need to ensure we can safely reopen schools, get tens of millions of people vaccinated quickly, and provide a viable economic lifeline for millions of families trying to pay rent or put food on the table. Our constituents have waited too long for this relief already, and I’m proud that it is now on its way.”

Arizona Congressional District Four House Representative Raul Grijalva:

“One year into the pandemic and our communities continue to struggle. Our friends and loved ones have died, millions remain unemployed, our children are missing critical in-person learning opportunities, and countless small businesses have shuttered. The American Rescue Plan recognizes these traumas and direct funds to put money in the pockets of those most impacted, safely return our children to in-person learning, and get shots in the arms of everyone in the country so that we can end the pandemic once and for all. A crisis of this magnitude warrants an equal response, and this legislation gets our families, workers, and small businesses the relief they deserve.”

Arizona Congressional District Nine House Representative Greg Stanton:

“There’s more work to be done to get Arizona back on track. With the American Rescue Plan, we will get shots into arms, put money into the pockets of those most in need, get people back to work, and ensure our kids can learn safely.”

David Lujan of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress:

“The American Rescue Plan passed by Congress and signed by President Biden this week is a major victory for Arizona children and families. According to data released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the expansion of the child tax credit alone will lift 112,000 Arizona children above the poverty line and will benefit more than 1.5 million Arizona children overall. This historic reduction in child poverty will particularly help children of color who have been disproportionately hard hit by the pandemic and its related economic and educational harms.”

“In addition to the expansion of the child tax credit, the relief package will provide Arizona with an estimated $780 million to expand child care assistance; $2.6 billion to help Arizona’s public schools reopen safely, and it extends increased food assistance benefits through September 30.”

“This landmark legislation will greatly improve the well-being of Arizona’s children – through expanded child care assistance, resources so schools can reopen safely, more affordable health coverage, and aggressive measures to combat child poverty,” said David Lujan, interim President and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance. “We applaud Arizona’s congressional delegation who took swift action and supported this impactful legislation for Arizona’s families.”

“This long-term crisis has been exacerbated by the devastating, inequitable impacts of COVID-19. Now, thanks to the passage of the American Rescue Plan, Arizona children, and families who have been hit the hardest will have severely needed resources to enable them to emerge from these challenging times with a pathway to a stronger future.”

People, especially those that feel that the American Rescue Plan is too expensive and not targeted, need to realize that this legislation when compared to the Trump Tax Cut (that all passed in budget reconciliation with only Republican support,) will do a greater job of helping the middle class and poorer Americans than the Trump measure that was steered primarily toward the wealthy and corporations.

Please watch the video below where Economist and Obama/Biden Auto Rescue Tsar Steve Rattner illustrates how the American Rescue Plan will provide more relief and lift up more middle-class and poor American citizens than the Trump Tax Cuts.

That makes the American Rescue Plan, unlike the Trump Tax Cut, worth every borrowed penny.