“In Solidarity:” Governor Hobbs and Legislative Democrats Band Together Against MAGA Republican Hostage Taking of Disabled Children Funding Assistance

In a show of unity and solidarity today, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs threw down the legislative gauntlet on MAGA Republicans today who have mercilessly held supplemental funding to help children with disabilities hostage since last January.

In a statement released earlier today, Governor Hobbs announced a moratorium on signing any future legislation, which would undoubtedly include any supplementals for MAGA’s beloved Empowerment Scholarship Private School Voucher Accounts, until Republicans backed down and sent her a clean supplemental funding bill to help disabled children.

In her statement, the Governor wrote:

“It is shameful that Reps. Livingston, Gress and other members of the legislative majority continue to hold Arizonans with disabilities hostage to their manufactured chaos. While they leverage a crisis of their own creation to engage in political warfare, Arizonans with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other disabilities are the ones harmed by their partisan attacks. That’s unacceptable to me, and after meeting with families dependent on these critical services, I know it’s unacceptable to the nearly 60,000 Arizonans who rely on the Division of Developmental Disabilities to live their lives with independence and dignity. Their introduced proposal is unserious and a complete nonstarter.

“However, I am glad to see bipartisan opposition to their political theater. As I have been from day one, I am ready to negotiate with anybody who is willing to discuss a serious supplemental funding bill. In the coming days, I will continue working towards real solutions, starting with the serious proposals already put forward, and exploring funding sources like the Prescription Drug Rebate Fund. But the inaction of a few, extreme Republican lawmakers is unacceptable and business as usual cannot continue until Arizonans with developmental disabilities and their caretakers have the certainty they need.”

Legislative Democrats immediately banded with the Governor with House Democrats gathering on their chambers floor pledging solidarity with Hobbs and the 60,000 Arizonans who will need the supplemental funding.

In his remarks, House Democratic Leader Oscar De Los Santos, with Assistant Leader Nancy Guiterrez and other Democrats standing beside him, said:

“Members. In solidarity, with Arizonans, living with disabilities who desperately need our help and in solidarity with Governor Hobbs’s courageous decision to veto every single bill that comes to her desk until we find a Bipartisan solution, House Democrats today proudly voted no on every bill. The caucus yields.”

Later, Leader De Santos issued a statement on behalf of the whole House Democratic Caucus, conveying: 

“Governor Hobbs showed strong leadership today with her decision to veto any bills that cross her desk until Republicans work with Democrats on a real bipartisan emergency fix – with no poison pills or ruthless power grabs — before funding for the Division of Developmental Disabilities runs out in May. Today House Democrats also voted no on every bill on the floor in solidarity with Arizonans living with disabilities who desperately need our help, with their incredible families and caregivers, and with Governor Hobbs’ courageous leadership. Republican politicizing and blame gaming should wait for another day and another issue that does not threaten the most vulnerable in our state. Let’s get to the table and get this worked out now.”

Democratic Senate Leader Priya Sundareshan, responding to a request to comment to Blog for Arizona, also commented:

“Senate Democrats support Governor Hobbs’ action to focus Legislative Republicans on solving the urgent issue of paying for DDD services already incurred. Legislative Democrats offered the simplest solution to this issue – providing the necessary funding through the state’s General Fund – but Republicans have repeatedly rejected this clean solution. Instead, they have proposed swiping other public services to pay this bill, and at the same time loading the bill with unrelated policy changes that would bring down the entire health care system. Republicans are dithering and ignoring the simple solution in front of them while time runs out.”

These are vulnerable children who, more than most constituents, especially those in the welfare for wealthy Empowerment Scholarship Private School Voucher Program, are deserving of the states assistance.

Bravo to the Governor and Legislative Democrats for taking a stand here. This is what public service is supposed to be about.