
It seems the only welfare programs most Arizona State Republicans truly cherish are the ones that benefit their rich patrons, their theocratic base, and those who commit fraud.
A prime example of this is the State Empowerment Scholarship Program (ESA) which allows qualifying applicants to use taxpayer money to help pay for their child’s education to the private or home school of their choice.
That this program passed solely by Republicans in the last months of the Doug Ducey governorship was projected then to primarily benefit the wealthy and become a reservoir for waste, fraud, and abuse was ignored by the powers that be at the time because they wanted to secure another piece of legislation that favored their plutocratic and theocratic bases.
Since its passage, the program has confirmed expectations. Almost three-quarters of the scholarships have been awarded to families whose children have never set foot in a public school, creating a welfare for the wealthy system. Furthermore, the program, due to less than stringent guidelines and lacking a full staff to monitor transgressions, has become a vehicle for fraudsters, both in and out of state to create phantom ghost students and steal hard-earned middle and working-class taxpayer money.
Since Katie Hobbs became Arizona Governor, she has continually proposed reforming the ESA program and has been rebuffed twice by the Republican-led legislature.
In her 2025 State of the State Address, she again called for reforming the ESA Welfare for the Wealthy Scheme, suggesting measures to detect fraud and means tests for which applicants can qualify based on income.
Despite the proof that the now close-to-a-billion-dollar ESA program is a drain on the state coffers, Arizona Legislative Republicans do not seem to care and would rather spend time considering legislation going after innocent transgender individuals than reform the financial monster they created.
Arizona House Democrats, following a joint meeting of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, commented that House Appropriations Chairman David Livingston has no interest in any ESA reforms, posting:
“GOP Appropriations Chair Livingston condescendingly explains that the out-of-control and fraud-ridden ESA program is untouchable. The Governor’s budget calls for reasonable income caps for families earning over $200k. This would address just a fraction of the wealthier families who were already paying for private school — 73 percent of ESA users — but took the subsidy when offered, ballooning costs.”
If anyone thinks Democrats are making this up, here is Representative Livingston post from earlier today:
So much for fiscal responsibility.
So much for going after waste, fraud, and abuse.
This is another example of when Republicans actually care about those things is when it affects middle and working-class families.
In their perfect world, welfare for the wealthy programs and indoctrinating children in White Nationalist Christian Programs sponsored by brainwashing entities like Turning Points and Praeger are fine and should be the norm.

Commenting on Livingston’s rigidness, Senate Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan responded:
“It is unconscionable that the Republican majority would refuse to look at the state’s finances in a wholistic and honest way. Their refusal to address the waste and fraud that we all know is taking place in the universal ESA voucher program is a slap in the face to Arizona taxpayers. As elected officials, it is our job to be good stewards of Arizona’s finances and I know that my caucus will not willfully ignore any program that is placing nearly one billion hole in our state’s budget.”
Democratic House Leader Oscar De Los Santos offered:
“The ESA tax scam is filled with waste, fraud, and abuse. Every Arizonan should be outraged. Taxpayer dollars are being blatantly misspent on luxury ski trips and absurdities including a flat Earth curriculum. We need to put an end to the insanity — but it seems Republicans are more than happy to look the other way and do absolutely nothing as taxpayer dollars are flushed down the toilet.”
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