Rep. Nancy Gutierrez (D-LD18) assailed the state Republicans’ school voucher program, pointing out that the vouchers are being spent by the monied rich, and are bankrupting the state of Arizona.
“The truth is that most families participating in the universal voucher program have students that have not been in public schools. They have been paying private school tuition, and now have our tax dollars to do that,” she said.
“We are seeing evidence of lavish expenses being approved like $4,000 pianos, snack of the month clubs, ski lift tickets and more. This money has nothing to do with education and everything to do with the rich getting more free money from our state,” she said.
She added, “These vouchers are also causing our state to fall into a $400 million deficit. Between universal vouchers and the Ducey flat tax, our state is not making enough to cover its expenses. This means that we will be facing cuts to the budget— or we can put a cap on these ridiculous vouchers!”
“It would be terrible to cut funding to essential services to pay for this unchecked program,” she said. I will continue to advocate for a cap on these vouchers and a moratorium on the program so that a full and complete audit can be done. (I submitted these amendments during the budget vote, but they were rejected.) It will be an uphill climb in order to negotiate with our Republican lawmakers, but we will not be defeated!
Nancy will soon launch her campaign for election in 2024:
- Sign her petition to get on the ballot: https://go.azsos.gov/w7rw
- Donate to her 2024 campaign: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/nancyforaz24
- Contact her with any questions or comments at NGutierrez@azleg.gov or NancyforAZ@gmail.com.
- Join the LD18 Dems Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, October 24 starting at 6:30 pm. https://ld18dems.org/event/ld18-monthly-meeting-oct-2023/
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I thought the voters specifically barred the expansion of school vouchers.
Any legislator who then voted to do so used their position to further a fraud perpetrated against the people of AZ
Repub legislators only like referenda they put on the ballot. They hate grassroots generated legislation. And when one they hate passes, they, and their enablers (Goldwater, Arizoa Center for Theocracy, ALEC, ATRA) so everything to undermine or ignore it. They dare not put vouchers on the ballot where it would again be beaten.
School vouchers, just like the rest of any Republican backed legislation are merely designed to lavish taxpayer money on those who neither need or deserve it. Anyone care for some Medicare Advantage?