PHOENIX — Today, labor unions and allied groups representing hundreds of thousands of working families, parents, and educators across Arizona released the following statement slamming Legislative Republicans for backing away from bipartisan voucher reforms in support of a so-called “Biggs Deal” that would block basic guardrails for the scandal-plagued ESA voucher program and risk millions of dollars in funding for Arizona school districts by keeping SCR 1032 on the ballot:
"The Biggs deal is a non-starter that would be horrible for students, educators, parents, and working families across Arizona. When Republican lawmakers approached us with an offer to pass common-sense voucher reforms and drop their three disastrous referrals (HCR 2040, SCR 1032, and HCR 2048), we were open to good-faith discussions. After Biggs and his extremist allies intervened, their involvement left the Republican caucus divided and unable to negotiate in a serious or constructive way. We are no longer willing to participate in what has become a political circus.
“Every Arizona voter should understand what is happening right now. The latest offer from Legislative Republicans holds the basic rights of working people hostage in exchange for a so-called deal that could cut millions of dollars in funding from the schools serving Arizona children (SCR 1032) while protecting the worst aspects of Arizona’s voucher program (HCR 2048) with a despicable charade of a referral that treats heroic military families as partisan bait. This November, hard-working Arizona voters will remember how Republican politicians fought to keep voucher dollars flowing to the state’s richest families and paying for diamond rings and lingerie.
“This entire Republican debacle has done nothing but bring Arizona’s working people closer. Politicians tried to divide the labor movement, but we emerged stronger and with more solidarity than ever before. We will not even consider a deal that puts Arizona’s fraud-ridden voucher program into our state constitution and risks the cuts to school funding that would come with SCR 1032. Threats to public schools are threats to working families.
“The Protect Education Act has more than enough signatures to make the ballot and survive bad-faith signature challenges. Arizona voters overwhelmingly support the reforms in our initiative, and public polling makes it clear they will reject bad-faith initiatives targeting working people. We will file the Protect Education Act on Thursday and we look forward to an overwhelming victory at the ballot in November.”