Reorganizing Priorities
Arizonans should vote against Proposition 302. The state is in a large financial deficit and [the legislature] intends to transfer the funds from the organization First Things First to the state’s fund to help alleviate the debt. As a student in Arizona, I am opposed to this. First Things First was initially established in 2006 and was intended to be used to help fund programs designed to benefit children ages 5 years and younger. Arizonans helped pass this measure by agreeing to an 80-cent increase on every pack of cigarettes purchased. Clearly, this initial measure was passed because the state believed in the program and its potential benefits. Why should the citizens of this state feel any differently about the program now? Initially, the state was not supposed to be able to extract or move any funds from this program. There is no reason for the state government to remove the money from this program to help decrease the deficit. The transferring of these funds may help to slowly extract Arizona from a massive debt, but it will also greatly hinder a program that targets impoverished children in order to promote high literacy and improved health care. The state already has a limited number of programs and funding allotted to this cause (not to mention that Arizona is ranked last in amount of money spent per student, according to the Arizona Education Association), so eliminating this program would only further worsen that. Say “no” to Proposition 302.
Alexandra Merry
Undergraduate
