Nauseating and Sickening were descriptors applied to previous articles on Arizona MAGA Republicans protecting welfare for the rich programs like the Empowerment Scholarship Account private school voucher program and tax cuts for the wealthy while screwing over funding for children with disabilities.
In reporting from AZ Central, House Appropriations Chair David Livingston who railed against Governor Katie Hobbs for asking for additional funding for the children with disabilities, blaming her for financial mismanagement, called the supplemental budget request Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, monies from a program that these recipients really do not need, “an “adjustment” and part of the normal budget process.”
How sickening.
How nauseating.
How repulsive.
How hypocritical.
What kind of public servant puts the needs of the rich and powerful over the disabled and most vulnerable?
Not a good one.
When Governor Hobbs released a press release asking in part for the supplemental funding for the Scholarship Accounts, she called out Republican Hypocrisy on the funding for disabled children, writing:
“The legislative majority continues to use Arizonans with disabilities as their political pawns, even as they refuse to put commonsense guardrails on their favorite entitlement program. While they fight to protect the right of the 1% to spend taxpayer dollars on luxury car driving lessons, ski resort passes, and grand pianos, they’re refusing to fund life-saving programs that support the health and independence of the more that 50,000 Arizonans who rely on the Division of Developmental Disabilities.“
“Their negligence is inhumane and fiscally irresponsible, putting countless Arizonans with autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, and other disabilities at risk of institutionalization, which would make taxpayers foot the bill for more restrictive and expensive care.“
“I have now submitted, and updated, a budget proposal that gives pay raises to State Troopers and firefighters, combats Veterans homelessness, secures the border, lowers the cost of child care and housing, and protects critical services for Arizonans with disabilities, including the pre-universal ESA program. I urge the legislature to pass this common sense budget. And if they think they have a better plan to deliver for our constituents, they should show it to the people of Arizona instead of cynically using people with disabilities and their caregivers as hostages to negotiate unclear demands.”
Responding that day to the Governor’s Press Release, Arizona Democratic Senate Leader Priya Sundareshan commented to Blog for Arizona.
“It is deeply disappointing that in almost every aspect the Republican-controlled legislature has chipped away at the state’s ability to adequately provide for our public schools students, teachers, working families, and children with disabilities because of their continued prioritizing of tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and private school vouchers. We can and must do better — Republicans simply need to get out of the way or get on board with providing for ALL Arizonans.”
Commenting on Livingston’s comments to AZ Central, Christian Slater, one of Governor Hobbs’s Communications specialists posted:
Democratic House Leader Oscar De Los Santos posted:
“HYPOCRISY: Arizona Republicans are salivating for supplemental spending for ESA entitlements. But they’re holding hostage supplemental aid for disability services for people with autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.”
Ranking House Education Committee Member Nancy Gutierrez remarked in her social media post:
“Republicans talking about cutting this funding (for disabled children) by 25 percent is not a viable solution. People with disabilities cannot reduce their needs by 25 percent. I don’t recall ever hearing Republicans balk at the cost of their ESA voucher program, even when the costs have skyrocketed to almost $1 billion.”
In budget negotiations with the MAGA clique at the State Legislature, Governor Hobbs needs to draw a line in the sand and demand that the Republicans fully agree to fund her priorities and compromise on ESA reform or she will veto any budget that comes to her desk.
This is about moving the State forward and lifting Arizonans up.
MAGA Republicans only care about doing it for their plutocratic and white nationalist donor base.
Democrats want to take care of and lift up everyone.
Which option do you think Arizonans are going to support when they find out how MAGA Republicans are screwing them.
Discover more from Blog for Arizona
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.