Full disclosure. I’m so enraged by the budget Ducey and his cronies are trying to strong-arm through the legislature, hoping they can pass it before too many Republicans defect, I don’t have the composure to write a careful, fact-laden post about the budget. The proposed budget is awful. It’s immoral. It works against the best interests of our children and our state. If you want details, sorry, you’ll have to go elsewhere.
If you’re also outraged, live in Pima County and want to do something, register your complaint by calling or emailing Governor Ducey. Most likely if you’re from around here, your legislators are as outraged as you are, so calling or emailing them won’t do much good. The phone number is (602) 542-4331. Here’s the page where you email his office. A few words will suffice, but if you’d like help framing your message, go to the Call to Action page on the website of the newly formed group, Arizona Stands UP. You’ll find a short, basic script you can either follow or use as a starting point. (Another full disclosure: I’m working with Arizona Stands UP). Helpful hint for the phone shy: if you want to call but don’t want to talk directly with someone, call after hours and leave a voice message.
If you live in Pinal County or other Republican-heavy areas around the state, you can contact your legislators and urge them to vote against the budget.
About 1,000 protesters went the Capitol Thursday to stand up against the education budget cuts. A smaller group gathered around Ducey’s Tucson office. School superintendents have been more vocal than usual in their complaints about the draconian cuts. So has Arizona State University President Michael Crow. (It’s possible the added cuts to university funding are retaliation against Crow’s strong words. If so, the idea that the governor and his legislative enforcers would punish the university system because one of its leaders spoke out could be a chilling, frightening precursor of how Republicans plan to deal with dissent.)
Things don’t look good right now, but the wheel is still in spin. The ball is still in play. The time clock hasn’t run out. I can’t remember seeing so many people this outraged about the budget’s education cuts, and there is power in numbers. Do what you can.
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2015.
Never wrote an officeholder before today, but this budget is monumentally dumb. Thanks for the link.
Welcome to the house that Koch bought. Stay off the lawn!
I just tried the Tucson Ducey office and the voicemail is full! Will try Phx and email.
I have called and called and others have too. I think that is why the budget ,so I understand. was 1 vote shy of being defeated. THe one vote who made it pass was a Democrat named Carlyle Begay. I heard he was offered something but I don’t know what. We need a strong group and I am part of it. Thank you David S. for all you do. I do think this budget is criminal in how our money is being spent and the neglect of education which will do harm for at least a generation.
To the victors go the “right” to spoil.
What we have left is the smell of rotten eggs remaining in a basket of public neglect. Maltreatment of the Arizona Public Education from the top levels of state government has been going full blast for a number of years bought and paid for by dark political money and the fools it has elected.
Like a caged hungry and thirsty animal a little food and water, in this case campaign money, buys much more than twisted policies.
Too many good people have left the state frustrated and exhausted from the constant battle with political forces they can’t see or understand. On one hand they sound reasonable and concerned, but actions speak louder than words.
Since when do jobs come to a location with no educated or skilled labor? Keeping low wages won’t alone do the job. Allowing unregulated and unprotected health and environmental standards will encourage some employers, but they are limited too.
The fact is these dark money interests don’t give a damn about the internal affairs of Arizona, who can buy guns, where you can carry guns, who can marry, how low the wages, the wasted environment or the health care system. The push, is making profits for their fellow travelers who are willing to overlook each other’s excesses.
Out of state global mining conglomerates land swaps and land exchange deals for longer prison sentences and state revenue paying for empty prison cells in private prisons with disgusting conditions while county detention facilities remain empty and poorly staffed starved for funds.
They, dark money providers and out of country money interests don’t want Arizona to elect to Congress anyone who will stand in their way of dividing up the riches of this nation placing them into the pockets of the very few. They want no political resistance or political leaders to disrupt or impede their bigger goals on the national and global scene.
Gaining power and financial benefits are their aim. Throwing in confusion and disorder with false slogans and fake promises is just part of the game. There are plenty of people willing to play along for a few pieces of gold and a little fame.
Criminal, well with the blessings of Congress and the United States Supreme Court. The Court decisions such as “Citizens United” and Congress the total failure to put in place campaign finance laws or finance disclosure rules.
Folks what is needed is turning over the rocks and exposing the dirt beneath.
I have some high hopes as I see the press and the media outlets slowing starting to exposing some of these raw deals. In this country we have had “New Deals”, “Fair Deals”, and “Square Deals”, talk of “Good Neighbor” policies toward our friends in Latin America but here in Arizona, we have allowed “raw deals” and poor relationships with our neighbors.
https://www.change.org/p/arizona-voters-recall-governor-doug-ducey?recruiter=17337034&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_facebook_responsive&utm_term=des-lg-share_petition-no_msg&fb_ref=Default
Gee, where’s the rat with his “we don’t need no education” rant?
Welcome to the “Meth lab of ‘democracy'”…
There are almost the 7500 signatures already for the recall( less than 2 days.). We need 360k+ by July something to file and that will be the 6 months we are suppose to give DUcey… Now I don’t need to give him another day but we really must get those signatures!! Send them as wide and far as you can. Must be registered voters. Colette posted the link here.
nothing is over until the fat lady sings! the budget can be amended every day the legislature is in session which looks to be another month at least so keep the pressure all day every day.
Funny chetdude. I am in education and I witness the monumetal waste on a daily basis. Even if you got more money, lots more money, they are not going to put it in the classrooms. I wish the kids were getting half the education they should be getting. That doesn’t take more money. It takes hard work, effort and desire.
But instead it seems like we now have teachers trying to recall elected officials.
Where did you find all the extra time and energy?