In weekly addresses to the people of the Grand Canyon state, Democratic Senate and House Leaders Raquel Teran and Andres Cano have implored their Republican counterparts to get serious about governing, stop playing childish political base games, and work with them (and Governor Katie Hobbs) to move Arizona forward.
Good Morning, Arizona ☀️Here is our newest State of the Session update with the Democratic Leader @RaquelTeran! #AZleg pic.twitter.com/9lQUukHhko
— Arizona Senate Democrats (@AZSenateDems) February 2, 2023
“Let’s stop playing games and get to work.” House Democratic Leader @AndresCanoAZ addresses GOP’s childish antics, bare-bones backwards-looking budget plan and heavy-handed rules changes to silence debate and shut out the public and media. #AZLeg pic.twitter.com/kLQVoTHxnb
— Arizona House Democrats (@AZHouseDems) February 1, 2023
In Senator Teran’s remarks, she commended the Democrats on the Election Committee for “pushing back on dangerous election denialism” and the freshmen members of the caucus for “dropping exciting legislation that will help move Arizona forward.”
She then proceeded to blast Republicans for voting for a “partisan shell budget” for the next fiscal year by “introducing it under the radar at the end of a workday and without stakeholder input or proper negotiations.”
Saying “our constituents elected us to work together to deliver a policy and a budget that is grounded in the realities we are all facing,” Teran advised viewers that “Democrats are ready to work on the real bipartisan budget that moves us all forward” and telling Republican legislators that “no one is above engaging in good faith negotiations.”
Teran also called on Republicans to stop “playing games,” reminding the people that there are immediate pressing issues like suspending the Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL) so schools can spend the $1.3 billion in monies promised them in last year’s budget.
In her concluding comments, she congratulated the new leaders on both the Latino and Indigenous People’s Caucuses.
Representative Cano’s had similar sentiments to Senator Teran in his comments to Arizonans.
First, he echoed her by stating that the House Democrats were ready to “negotiate a budget that moves Arizona forward” and condemning Republicans for “living in an alternative reality where they, and only they, still have the last word.”
He also advocated for the passing of a clean suspension of the AEL so schools can remain open after spring break, saying that if “Republicans want to shut down our schools, that’s on them.” Citing Governor Hobb’s plea to “not hold our kid’s hostage,” Cano pivoted to the state budget.
Calling the Republicans “phony budget dead on arrival,” he accused them of “behaving like children” for working on nonsensical and discriminatory policies like banning drag queens. Cano asked viewers to ask Republican legislators what their plans are to “combat inflation and the housing crisis.”
Saying “we can do better” and asking Republicans to “stop playing games and get to work,” Cano called for giving “teachers the support they need to do their jobs. Let’s help renters and homeowners. Let’s tackle climate resiliency and bipartisan water conservation. Let’s support small business owners.”
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