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Prop 300 would empower Arizonans
Friday, October 27, 2006





Editorial by Rick Schneider,Publisher

By voting for Proposition 300 Arizona voters will alert politicians that the will of the people must be enforced.

Most Arizonans feel illegal immigrants are not entitled to public benefits, which is why they voted for “Protect Arizona Now” in 2004. Unfortunately, our governor and attorney general apparently don’t care what Arizona voters think. They found ways to ensure that illegals continue to receive services paid for by taxpayers.

Proposition 300 will prohibit illegals from participating in adult education classes offered by the Arizona Department of Education; it will prevent illegals from receiving in-state or county tuition, grants or financial assistance; and it will prevent illegals from receiving child-care assistance.

There’s nothing cruel or discriminatory about this. It’s simply fair and honest.

Tuition rates in Arizona keep increasing every year, making it increasingly difficult for Arizona citizens to get a college education. Arizona residents are put on waiting lists to receive desperately needed child care. Our hospitals lose millions of dollars because they must provide emergency health service to illegals. Classroom funding is used to teach the children of illegals English, thus dragging down our entire education system.


Arizona residents are suffering because illegals are using tax-funded services.

A publicity pamphlet issued by Arizona Secretary of State Janice Brewer states why Proposition 300 is so important: “State programs in adult education and welfare are designed to help Arizonans who are struggling to develop their job skills or support their families.

“By offering these services to illegal aliens, it increases the burden on our state programs and robs our own citizens of services they’ve paid for with their taxes. Above all, free state services for all takes away the incentive for illegal aliens to become full citizens and legitimate members of American society. It is vital we spend our tax dollars on helping Arizonans and not aid and abet illegal aliens.”

It’s unfortunate that the children of illegals could be hurt by Proposition 300. It’s not their fault their parents chose to enter this country illegally. But this is a problem their parents can fix by choosing to gain citizenship legally.

The law is the law. We can’t pick and chose which laws we want to obey, and providing benefits to illegals is not fair to those who go through the long process of becoming American citizens.

Proposition 300 will send a strong message that America welcomes immigrants and is happy to provide public services to its needy citizens - but only if they’re in our country legally.