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April 16, 2010
In this issue
· KidsCare Restoration Bill – Maybe?
· Watching Hb2250
· Protecting Voter Protections
· Yes on Prop 100 Rally – Saturday April 17
· MS Society Day at the Capital – April 20
· GOTV For May 18 Yes Vote on Prop 100
· Continuing the budget struggle – finding stories!
· A KidsCare restoration bill will probably be introduced early next week (April 18) but stay tuned for developments.
· But its effect will be contingent upon Congress passing a Medicaid match enhancement – meaning hundreds of millions of dollars of additional stimulus funding.
· It also appears Speaker Adams wants his “jobs” bill (which is really a corporate giveaway tax cuts bill) finalized first. There continues to be lots of negotiations about this bad bill.
· Take action by going to BRINGBACKKIDSCARE.ORG www.bringbackkidscare.org
· ARIZONA TO GAIN $2.3 BILLION FROM HEALTH CARE REFORM --- the JLBC Analysis of federal health care legislation indicates that Arizona benefits $2.3 billion over the next ten years and covers many more low income individuals. Seems like a good reason to fix Kids Care and AHCCCS cuts for details go to the JLBC analysis at; http://www.azleg.gov/jlbc/FederalHealthcare.pdf
· Watch for more action on HB2250 too. This bad bill is full of corporate giveaways without any real jobs creation. Hundreds of millions of revenue will be lost without any results --- that is creating one new job --- digging the revenue hole deeper. Take Action by writing your Senator to oppose and vote NO on this corporate giveaway bill. Read CAA's fact sheet on HB2250. Read the Arizona Budget Coalition's Fact Sheet on HB2250.
· Keep Voter Protected Funds – As part of the budget special session, a majority in the legislature voted to pass HCR 2001 which puts First Things First back on the ballot. Voters will be asked whether they want to repeal the new tobacco tax they passed in 2006 specifically to support services that improve the health and education of young children.
· PAFCO opposes this blatant attack on First Things First funding for young children – which comes from a dedicated tobacco tax and does not affect the budget deficit at all. This resolution will be on the November ballot. (Thanks to Children’s Action Alliance for information for this update.)
YES ON PROP 100 RALLY
Saturday, April 17th at 3:00 pm
Central
High School
- South Gym
4525 North
Central Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona
85012
(Camelback
&
Central - south of Camelback)
http://www.yeson100.com/get-involved/1000-person-rally
Make sure you register to get t-shirts and yard signs.
This may be the last opportunity to get a yard sign!
CONTACT: Aaron V Sandeen
office: 602.222.1021 | cell: 480.430.6630
site: www.yeson100.com
PAFCO ACTION DAY IN COLLABORATION WITH AZ MS SOCIETY
Legislative Awareness Conference
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 10am
3rd Floor Old Senate Chamber in Capital Museum Bld.
Pre-register
with Siobhan McCurdy
Advocacy Coordinator
National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Arizona Chapter
1 480 968 2488 ext. 210
fax 480 966 4049
smccurdy@aza.nmss.org
YES ON Prop 100 Collaborative in Tucson
COMMUNITY Meeting – Monday April 19th
Contact
Jim Murphy - President & CEO
Pima Council on Aging
520-790-0504
Fax 520-790-7577
PAFCO SUPPORTS THE YES ON PROP 1OO CAMPAIGN AND THIS TUCSON EFFORT!
PAFCO SUPPORTS PROP 100 On May 18, 2010 the State will hold a special election to approve a temporary 1% sales tax increase. This increase would generate approximately $1 billion in revenue to cover the $3.5 billion deficit Arizona is currently facing.
· PAFCO supports this ballot initiative for two distinct reasons:
1) Arizona needs to generate additional revenue, but more importantly
2) Passing this initiative would send a clear message to our legislature that the citizens of Arizona are willing to tax themselves in order to assist in remedying the state budget crisis and to maintain funding to programs that aid our most vulnerable populations.
· A “NO” vote on this initiative could send the wrong signal that that average citizens do not want to be taxed and will in turn make more cuts to more desperately needed, publically funded programs.
· Turn out at the polls on May 18, 2010 and let our legislature know that the citizens of Arizona are willing to do what it takes to protect health and human services for our most vulnerable populations.
· Tell your families; tell your neighbors, tell your friends, tell strangers…. Get the word out!
· Here are some things you can do right now:
· Register to vote. You can do this online. The last day to register to vote is April 19, 2010.
· Register to receive a permanent early ballot. Request your early ballot through your county recorder's office. The last day to request an early ballot is May 7, 2010.
· Tell your family, friends, and neighbors about Prop 100 and why it's important to public education in Arizona. Tell them to visityeson100.com.
· Vote Yes on Prop 100 on May 18.
· WHAT IF THE PROP 100 -- THE SALES TAX FAILS IN MAY. CHILDREN’S ACTION ALLIANCE HAS PREPARED AN ANALYSIS OF THE CONSEQUENCES AND ADDITIONAL CUTS. See the link below. http://www.azchildren.org/MyFiles/10%20Legislature/Sales_Tax_Fails_3-30-10.pdf
· The budgetfight is not over --- tell the story of the consequences of these cruel cuts.
o Don’t let any opportunity pass without sharing your story, the story of the people you serve, the agency impacts, the layoffs, and the pain and suffering.
o If the consequences are invisible, the general public will not know or understand the great disservice of these cuts to our shared community life.
o Be present at the Legislature on PAFCO Action Days and let the Legislature know these cuts are bad and not acceptable and we will hold them accountable for these bad decisions.
o Continue to write the Governor and your legislators with your stories of impact. Share them with PAFCO and others.
o Be a voice of reason and compassion and good economic sense in the midst of cruelty of these cuts.
o Urge the Governor and Legislature to restore KidsCare. CAA will start a major campaign on Monday, April 5.
· Organize and turn out the vote for May 18 - Prop 100 sales tax referral election. (www.yeson100.com)
o It is not just about the money, the extra billion dollars that is badly needed.
o The billion dollars would not stop these cuts but will prevent more and deeper cuts.
o But more importantly a Yes vote will send the message that Arizonans care about the quality of their lives, their children’s education, their neighbors and our communities.
o If there is a NO vote, that message will be that Arizonans don’t want government and government support of education and health and human services and other vital services.
o This is also a referendum on the future of Arizona.
· Organize and do voter education and voter registration for the August Primary and November General election.
o This Primary and November election will also be a referendum on the future of our state.
o It will determine the nature of our public policy and which values for our shared communal life will prevail.