RELEASE: Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Reality of Arizona Republicans' Ballot Measures on Education and Public Employees
ARIZONA - In the middle of the night in June, while most Arizonans were sleeping, Arizona Republicans passed ballot initiatives that target essential workers across the Copper State.
“When folks are frustrated by a long and crowded ballot, with misleading titles, they’ll know it’s the Republicans in the legislature to blame,” said ADLCC Spokesperson Tommy Mattocks. “These measures are designed to confuse voters, and they blatantly lie to them, but Arizonans are used to this kind of gaslighting from Republicans in Arizona and DC.”
Now, these ballot measures have been assigned proposition numbers. Here is how they will appear on your ballot this November:
Proposition 143 (HCR2040) – Targeting Teachers, Firefighters, and Police Officers
Proposition 143 (as it will appear on the ballot) attacks the ability of teachers, police officers, and firefighters to negotiate for their working conditions.
Every single Republican in the legislature voted for this.
Public employee unions told a judge the Republican lawmakers are “lying to voters” and say this “ballot measure written by Republican lawmakers to attack the Arizona Education Association would bar them from negotiating with the state, cities, and counties.”
Proposition 145 (HCR2048) – Locks Arizona's Voucher Program into the Constitution
Arizona's voucher program has faced ongoing concerns about fraud and rising costs that divert funding from public schools and other essential services.
This measure would place the unaccountable voucher program, left unregulated due to Republican inaction, in the Arizona Constitution, making it extremely difficult for future legislatures or voters to make changes, even if costs become unsustainable or abuse is uncovered.
Proposition 320 (SCR1032) – Cuts Funding for Student Services
This proposal requires large school districts to reduce spending on counselors, nurses, school safety, transportation, maintenance, and other essential student services. Arizona schools are already ranked near the bottom, thanks to 60 years of Republican control of the Arizona legislature.