http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/120466

Published: 03.17.2006

Senate OKs denial of more services to those here illegally
By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
PHOENIX — The Senate on Thursday voted 18-11 to ask voters to deny subsidized child care and adult education classes to those who entered this country illegally.

Sen. Dean Martin, R-Phoenix, said lawmakers are simply giving voters another chance to weigh in on whether they believe illegal immigrants are entitled to state services.

Martin said he believes the state, taking an unnecessary narrow and legalistic view of Proposition 200, never fully implemented the 2004 voter-approved mandate he believes was designed to make all benefits off-limits.

He also promised the law that would go to voters in November would include something not now in the measure — requiring those here illegally to pay the higher non-resident tuition at state community colleges and universities even if they have been living in Arizona for years.
That provision was in the original bill, but was amended to allow in-state tuition if a student has been here six years and graduated from high school and at least one parent paid state taxes during that time.

Martin said he believes he has the votes to restore the outright ban on resident tuition when the measure goes to the House.

Thursday's vote came over the objections of Sen. Bill Brotherton, D-Phoenix, who tried unsuccessfully to amend the proposal to also include an array of sanctions against companies that knowingly hire undocumented workers.

Martin said a measure is making its way through the legislative process that would provide penalties for companies that break the law, though not as severe as many proposed by Brotherton.

He acknowledged that having the tuition language reinserted into the measure is a political gamble because the final word on this legislation will be up to voters in November. While some don't want direct services to people not here legally, they may be less inclined to deny in-state tuition to students brought here as small children who know life only in the United States.

But Martin said tuition for longtime residents becomes an incentive for families to remain undetected for years so their children go to high school and then get their college tuition subsidized by Arizona taxpayers.

Nor was Martin sympathetic to the argument that children are being penalized for the acts of their parents in bringing them across the border.