AZ Rep. Andrés Cano: ‘Bake sales’ won't cover Ducey’s $1.5 billion in tax cuts for wealthy

In the coming days, I’ll be headed back to the State Capitol to oppose Gov. Ducey’s proposed $12.8 billion budget and its unsustainable $1.5 billion flat income tax cut for the wealthy.

Over the last several months, Arizonans from all walks of life have pleaded for investment in areas that will support our shared recovery from COVID-19.

This budget does the exact opposite. Instead, it strips funding from our schools, health care and first responders.

The proponents of this tax giveaway want us to believe us regular folks will get something in return. They’re wrong: more than 91% of the cuts will go exclusively to those making $400,000+ annually.

At the same time, it would reduce statewide shared revenues to cities and towns by $225 million, forcing them to close libraries, parks and KIDCO programs. Here in Southern Arizona, Ducey’s tax cuts for his millionaire donors would gut $27 million from the city of Tucson alone.

Last week, as my Republican colleagues debated their proposal in a televised meeting, Rep. Jake Hoffman of Queen Creek snarked that local jurisdictions can always raise taxes if they don’t like the cuts, or they can consider having “a bake sale.” Marie Antoinette would be proud.

This was as offensive as it was wrong. GOP lawmakers have been letting Arizonans eat cake for too long. They’re looking for short-term headlines as tax cutters but will have skipped town before this scheme collapses, as it did in Kansas just a few years ago.

This budget also leaves our most vulnerable on their own. At a time when renters and homeowners are choosing between food or paying their bills, Ducey has zeroed out funding to the Arizona Housing Trust Fund.

Pima and Maricopa Community Colleges won’t get ongoing funding for the sixth year in a row; Ducey stripped them of that in 2015. Not a single penny will help expand KidsCare, and low-income pregnant women in the state’s Medicaid program will go another year without dental coverage.

This is my second term in office. Each session, my Democratic colleagues and I have introduced legislation to reduce homelessness, create jobs, and lower classroom sizes. We’ve also introduced our plan to pay for these proposals. Sadly, Democratic bills collect dust on a bookshelf at the Arizona Legislature.

I believe Arizonans deserve better. We have a near $2 billion surplus. Refusing to fund core services isn’t a matter of available resources: it’s a matter of political will by Gov. Ducey and our Legislature.

My constituents won’t stand to gain from this budget proposal — and that’s why I’ll be voting “no” for this irresponsible budget that puts our state’s recovery in reverse.