March 12, 2010

In this issue

·         March 11 – A  Day of Infamy

·         What’s next?

·         One Unresolved Issue – HCR2001

·         Thanks or Disappointment Letters

·         PAFCO Advocacy Training – Monday March 15

·         PAFCO Action Day – Tuesday March 16

MARCH 11 2010 – A HISTORICAL WATERSHED SAD DAY OF INFAMY IN ARIZONA

·         The Legislature made extreme cruel cuts to health and human services and education and other vital services on March 11. The list of cuts is below in this email.

·         On Thursday evening, as widely reported, along party line votes, with the Republicans voting yes for the budget cuts and Democrats voting no against budget cuts, the Legislature severely cut health and human services and education and other vital state services and reduced state employees pay among other cuts.   

·         There are immediate cuts to KidsCare children with 45,000 plus children losing health care. 

·         There are immediate cuts to TANF families and grandparents, 10,000 families with up to 20,000 children losing cash assistance and support per month. 

·         Thousands and thousands of jobs will be lost to Arizona’s economy as these cuts are implemented.  42,000 jobs will be lost by the health care cuts alone.  Thousands more by the human services cuts. 

·         Since these cuts were originally proposed by the Governor, there is very chance she will veto any of these cruel cuts. 

These cuts were NOT necessary as claimed by proponents of this bad budget.

·         The truth is that there are plenty of options including a full integrated budget proposal called the “Third Party – Five Year Plan.”

·         There are billions of tax loopholes like taxing services or certain luxuries or “sugar” or alcoholic or “sin” taxes which could be implemented.

·         There are plenty of studies verifying the small tax responsibility of citizens in Arizona and the weak tax structure which must be reformed. 

·         Other studies verify that tax cuts over the last 15 years --- not just the recession contributed significantly to this severe down turn in state revenues. 

·         Ideological narrow mindsets drove these cuts while being blind to other options which would be better for the economy and show compassion for children, families and vulnerable adults.

WHAT’S NEXT?

·         The fight 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.

·         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. 

One unresolved issue -  HCR 2001 Referral to the ballot of First Things First – TAKE ACTION! 

·         The one unresolved issue for health and human services and education issue HCR 2001 - the bill that would put the elimination of First Things First (FTF) on the ballot in November. 

·         The budget that was passed assumes taking from $325 million from FTF.  The House approved sending the elimination of FTF to the ballot but the Senate will not vote until Monday. 

·         There is still time to let your Senators know that you oppose HCR 2001.  Our message is - "Voters passed FTF with a new revenue source (tobacco tax) and the funds are needed for children’s and early childhood programs. 

·         FTF should not be eliminated and its funds should not be put into the General Fund"  Please contact your senator and ask that SCR 2001 be modified to send to the voters instead a plan that would allow First Things First to loan the state $325 million to help balance the budget.