Kelli Ward’s Tax Hike Support Shocks Arizona Conservatives

[Swordsmyth]

Tea party conservatives thought they had earned a much-needed victory when former State Sen. Kelli Ward (R-AZ) won the position of state party chair earlier this year, but just months into her reign atop the Arizona GOP, she is already supporting a massive new tax hike proposal (https://www.apnews.com/8820f2437b774701ab9d0df2ce22e734).
Ward is pushing two measures (https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/chair-of-the-arizona-republican-kelli-ward-party-stumping-for-education-tax) currently active in the AZ legislature – Senate Concurrent Resolution 1001 and House Concurrent Resolution 2024 – would put a permanent one cent sales tax increase on the ballot for 2020 to fund public education. This would be roughly a seven percent higher sales tax than what is currently in place.
“This ballot referral gives us the opportunity for voters, for everyone, to tell us where they stand on funding education in our great state,” Ward said.
“Do they feel that we have enough?’” she said. “Or do they feel that we need more? We’re going to hear from the voters.”


Ward’s flip-flop has stunned party leaders who believe she is betraying the core principles of the Republican Party.
“I don’t support that,” Sen. Vince Leach (R-Tucson) said about Ward’s tax-hiking scheme.
“We fund education,” Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-Scottsdale), making the point that it can be well-funded without tax hikes. “We’ve done a lot in that area. We plan on doing more.”
“The governor has been clear,” said Gov. Doug Ducey’s press secretary Patrick Ptak. “He does not support raising taxes.”

“We should remember that at the state level, Republicans are only one seat away from losing control of the House. The situation is not much better in the Senate, where Republicans are two seats away from losing control. They cannot afford a snafu like this,” the AZGOP Executive Director Matthew Kenney wrote to an activist (https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10205859818891130&id=1727838384) about Ward’s betrayal.
Ward’s tax hiking has earned the criticism (https://www.atr.org/kelli-ward-arizona-gop-chairwoman-supports-massive-tax-hike) of the Americans for Tax Reform, one of the leading fiscal conservative groups in the U.S.
“Kelli Ward promised the people of Arizona in writing that she would oppose any and all tax increases. She just called for a sales tax hike that would damage every citizen of Arizona,” said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform.
The organization noted that Ward signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge while primarying the late John McCain for his U.S. Senate seat.
“Why is she now taking the opposite position as Chairwoman and supporting a massive tax increase that would inflict a great deal of harm on the individual taxpayers, families, and employers across the Grand Canyon State?” the ATR asked.

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/tea-party-favorite-kelli-wards-tax-hike-support-shocks-arizona-conservatives/

Did we dodge a bullet with her Senate loss?

[oyarde]

Bizarro world .

[Brian4Liberty]

Here it is straight from the horse’s mouth. It appears that Ward is supporting Arizona GOP legislators on this (her former colleagues). It’s probably in line with her position as GOP Chair.

The MSM and establishment would like nothing better than to smear her and create division. Something to keep in mind when reading their propaganda.

———

Why Arizona Republicans should support a penny sales tax for schools (https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2019/04/25/arizona-republican-party-kelli-ward-support-penny-sales-tax-schools/3574181002/)
By Kelli Ward - April 25, 2019


As the newly elected chairman of the Republican Party of Arizona, I know that one of the bedrock principles of conservatism is to do the essential things that must be done for the good of our people. There is no greater priority for the future of our state than thoughtfully, flexibly and strategically funding Arizona’s schools.

That’s why I am strongly urging our Republican legislators to support state Sen. Sylvia Allen’s [R] “penny proposal” to provide voters the opportunity and option to enhance their contribution to funding K-12 schools, universities, and trade and workforce development training programs.

Through her hard work and thoughtful leadership, Sen. Allen, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, developed the penny proposal that is weaving its way through the state Senate. Simultaneously, Rep. Michelle Udall [R], who chairs the House Education Committee, has offered identical legislation in her chamber.

GOP has always been for education

These mirror bills, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1001 and House Concurrent Resolution 2024, will result in more than $1 billion of voter-protected, permanent, annual funding directly to our K-12 school districts to be invested at the discretion of locally elected school district governing boards, in-state tuition and research dollars for our universities, and trade and workforce development dollars for our local community college students.

Twenty years ago, Republican Gov. Jane Hull led the effort to develop and pass Proposition 301, which created a sixth-tenths of 1 cent sales tax dedicated to Arizona public schools. By a vote of the people in 2020, Sen. Allen’s SCR 1001 will reform that tax, already embedded in our economic system, and modify it to a penny.

A less than a half-a-cent adjustment in our sales tax is sustainable, provides the opportunity for every Arizonan to contribute in supporting our schools and will not negatively impact our economy.

Republicans have consistently funded education in Arizona, and our commitment to teachers and students has not wavered one iota. The Republican Party has always been the party of quality education, student success and delivering great pay for great teachers. Democrats like to talk a big game, but too often have shown they will vote against teachers and students when it matters most.

Penny tax is the best proposal out there

Since his election in 2014, Gov. Doug Ducey [R] has consistently championed increased funding for our schools. Under his leadership, voters passed Proposition 123, resulting in hundreds of millions of new dollars going to school districts across the state.

Beginning in 2016, our Republican-led Legislature has passed budgets with hundreds of millions of new dollars directed toward education. Lastly, in 2018, the Legislature passed Gov. Ducey’s plan to provide 20 percent teacher raises by 2020. However, even with these tremendous strides, there’s more we can do to support Arizona’s schools, Arizona’s teachers and Arizona’s students.

You can’t make headway simply by saying “no.” As we approach the end of the 2019 legislative session, Sen. Allen’s penny proposal stands tall as the best proposal for new, dedicated funding for our schools.

That is why this plan has been endorsed by the Arizona School Administrators, Rural School Administrators, Chandler Unified School District, Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, Arizona Community College Council, Maricopa Community College, Pima Community College and rural community colleges across Arizona.

As a former chair of the Senate Education Committee, I stand with Senate President Karen Fann [R] and Sen. Sylvia Allen in urging the passing of SCR 1001. Once more, the Republican Party can lead the way in championing new funding for Arizona’s schools.
...
https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2019/04/25/arizona-republican-party-kelli-ward-support-penny-sales-tax-schools/3574181002/

[ATruepatriot]

Here it is straight from the horse’s mouth. It appears that Ward is supporting Arizona GOP legislators on this (her former colleagues). It’s probably in line with her position as GOP Chair.

The MSM and establishment would like nothing better than to smear her and create division. Something to keep in mind when reading their propaganda.

———

Why Arizona Republicans should support a penny sales tax for schools (https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2019/04/25/arizona-republican-party-kelli-ward-support-penny-sales-tax-schools/3574181002/)
By Kelli Ward - April 25, 2019

Thank you for being objective Brian. I hope this is all BS. My Kids work with both Mr and Ms Doctors Ward and like them very much as professionals to work with. I have met them both and do not believe this on face value yet, I think she is smarter than this. This is home town stuff for me.

But I can say that there is a teacher's union extortion activism action going on and here is why. Teachers move to Az from other states like Ca to save on cost of living and then in turn want the same pay rate they were getting in Ca. They want their cake and eat it too and you just can't have it that way.

Because of very much lower cost of living they are actually taking home more at the lower salary than they were in Ca. They are not smart enough to even realize this fact. This worries me, good thing there are very few who actually teach economics. Not one of them could run a successful business. They have no sense.

They need an economic education and some math refreshers.

[Swordsmyth]

Here it is straight from the horse’s mouth. It appears that Ward is supporting Arizona GOP legislators on this (her former colleagues). It’s probably in line with her position as GOP Chair.

The MSM and establishment would like nothing better than to smear her and create division. Something to keep in mind when reading their propaganda.

———

Why Arizona Republicans should support a penny sales tax for schools (https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2019/04/25/arizona-republican-party-kelli-ward-support-penny-sales-tax-schools/3574181002/)
By Kelli Ward - April 25, 2019


Thank you for being objective Brian. I hope this is all BS. My Kids work with both Mr and Ms Doctors Ward and like them very much as professionals to work with. I have met them both and do not believe this on face value yet, I think she is smarter than this. This is home town stuff for me.

But I can say that there is a teacher's union extortion activism action going on and here is why. Teachers move to Az from other states like Ca to save on cost of living and then in turn want the same pay rate they were getting in Ca. They want their cake and eat it too and you just can't have it that way.

Because of very much lower cost of living they are actually taking home more at the lower salary than they were in Ca. They are not smart enough to even realize this fact. This worries me, good thing there are very few who actually teach economics. Not one of them could run a successful business. They have no sense.

They need an economic education and some math refreshers.

I'm willing to not rush to judgement and I can tolerate less than perfection but a tax hike for government schools is not a good thing at all.

[ATruepatriot]

I'm willing to not rush to judgement and I can tolerate less than perfection but a tax hike for government schools is not a good thing at all.

The whole problem is why they think they need a hike in the first place. Those teachers are making more after living expenses now than they ever did in Ca and other states. I could state my case in detail but I'm tired and done for the night. Tell you what, as a businessman I figured this fact out within the first 6 months after I moved there from Ca. I cleaned up and kicked ass because of the cost of living difference. Real math... :)

[Brian4Liberty]

Thank you for being objective Brian. I hope this is all BS. My Kids work with both Mr and Ms Doctors Ward and like them very much as professionals to work with. I have met them both and do not believe this on face value yet, I think she is smarter than this. This is home town stuff for me.

But I can say that there is a teacher's union extortion activism action going on and here is why. Teachers move to Az from other states like Ca to save on cost of living and then in turn want the same pay rate they were getting in Ca. They want their cake and eat it too and you just can't have it that way.

Because of very much lower cost of living they are actually taking home more at the lower salary than they were in Ca. They are not smart enough to even realize this fact. This worries me, good thing there are very few who actually teach economics. Not one of them could run a successful business. They have no sense.

They need an economic education and some math refreshers.

Sound about right. The following section is a huge red flag. It is straight from California politics:


That is why this plan has been endorsed by the Arizona School Administrators, Rural School Administrators, Chandler Unified School District, Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, Arizona Community College Council, Maricopa Community College, Pima Community College and rural community colleges across Arizona.

[kcchiefs6465]

They make too much money as is.

Come to think of it, so does she.

Just worthless.