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Voucher Battles Brew as AZ GOP Chair Calls for Reforms
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This week brought multiple showdowns on Arizona’s off-the-rails voucher program, escalated by the increasingly clear reporting on how ESA voucher funds are being misused and the devastating impacts vouchers are having on public schools. [[link removed]]
🥊 Voucher Battle #1, Horne vs. Mayes: AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes has ordered Supt. Tom Horne [[link removed]] to stop automatically approving reimbursements for unallowable ESA voucher purchases — like lingerie, diamonds, appliances, gift cards, smart TVs, and iPhones [[link removed]] — or she’ll take legal action. 🥊 Voucher Battle #1, Horne vs. Mayes: AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes has ordered Supt. Tom Horne [[link removed]] to stop automatically approving reimbursements for unallowable ESA voucher purchases — like lingerie, diamonds, appliances, gift cards, smart TVs, and iPhones [[link removed]] — or she’ll take legal action.
This week brought multiple showdowns on Arizona’s off-the-rails voucher program, escalated by the increasingly clear reporting on how ESA voucher funds are being misused and the devastating impacts vouchers are having on public schools.
In a blistering 8-page letter, Mayes said, "Recent reporting by 12News has revealed the consequences of your irresponsible (and likely illegal) automatic approval system. I am gravely concerned about your apparent failure to appropriately manage [ESA voucher] funds… We have many disagreements about the ESA [voucher] program, but surely, we can agree that ESA holders should not be given a free pass to use taxpayer funds to buy items that are clearly identified as prohibited in the ESA Parent Handbook."
Supt. Horne shot back, claiming, “We have collected or are in the process of collecting more than $600,000 that was paid out for improper purchases." We’ll believe it when we see it, Mr. Horne — our money’s on AG Mayes for this battle royale for transparency 💪
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🥊 Voucher Battle #2, GOP vs Itself: The chair of Arizona’s GOP has dared to call for guardrails on ESA vouchers [[link removed]] , admitting “people are taking advantage of the system,” and an audit is needed. Immediately, far-right Republican extremists like Jake Hoffman called for her ouster [[link removed]] and MAGA Turning Point USA’s Tyler Bowyer joined in [[link removed]] , saying “What the heck is going on around here? Needs to be removed.”
As Laurie Roberts reports [[link removed]] , “What is going on is that Swoboda, a supporter of school choice, dared to suggest that the GOP’s sacred cow ESA program should not be a cash cow for parents looking to buy iPhones and smart TVs. What is going on is that Hoffman and Turning Point are finding out that their hooks into the state party don’t run as deep as they thought.” 💰Our money is on Swoboda, who knows voters of all political stripes are rightfully incensed about millions in voucher fraud, waste, and abuse — and are ready to turn against the GOP-run legislature.
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Congressional Corner
😡 Trump/House GOP Attack Public Education: This week, the Republican-controlled U.S. House debated its K-12 federal budget, which is due to be passed before Oct. 1. Unlike the Senate version, which did not cut K-12 funding, the House version slashes $12 billion in school spending [[link removed]] (a 15% cut) — including $5.2 billion in cuts to Title I, [[link removed]] which funds the nation’s most vulnerable students, constituting a 27% cut to low-income students. As always, the cruelty and chaos are the point with the Trump administration.
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📅 What’s Next? A full committee markup in the House is expected to occur this week, as early as Tuesday, September 9. The House will debate and approve the funding plan, and then must align its budget with the Senate’s version, which did not enact Trump’s proposed cuts and instead provided a slight increase to current K-12 spending.
🚨There’s Time to Stop These Cuts! The House and the Trump administration's proposed $12 billion in cuts to public education [[link removed]] would be a devastating blow to America’s students. We must all speak up and demand that Congress reject these cuts and protect our children’s futures. Find out how much YOUR school district stands to lose! [[link removed]]
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