Trump Orders Funding Cuts That Harm Arizona Families to Give Corporations and Billionaires More Tax Cuts

PHOENIX — The Trump administration announced wide-ranging funding cuts to popular programs that will hurt working families – from disruptions to Medicaid to halts to Head Start and Title I education funding – and congressional Republicans are so far siding with President Trump.

According to the Associated Press, the funding cuts “could affect trillions of dollars, at least temporarily, and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Even grants that have been awarded but not spent are supposed to be halted. State agencies and early education centers appeared to be struggling to access money from Medicaid and Head Start, stirring anxiety with answers hard to come by in Washington.”

"Less than a day after the Trump administration announced these funding cuts, we're seeing chaos across the government that’s already hurting families. Arizonans rely on this funding to educate their kids, afford food and health care, expand their businesses, and pay their rents and mortgages. Make no mistake—these cuts are part of the administration’s plan to give more tax handouts to corporations and billionaires on the backs of working people," said Andrea Moreno, Executive Director of Honest Arizona. "Congressmen Schweikert and Ciscomani need to oppose this dangerous move and demand that President Trump stop these cuts that are hurting Arizonans just to give more tax handouts to the rich ."

"As a longtime educational advocate and a parent of three school-aged children, I have grave concerns about the devastating impact that the federal funding cut will have for our students and families here in Arizona—especially in our public schools and programs relying on federal funding, Title I, and Title IX," said Pima County Board Supervisor Adelita Grijalva. "I have seen firsthand the harm that discriminatory and selective funding models have on students and families right here in our community and without the necessary support, our children will be the ones suffering the most. Programs that fund teachers, counselors, social workers, and classroom support staff in our schools are fully funded by federal dollars. These extreme cuts will have catastrophic impacts to budgets and programs that serve the most vulnerable students and families in our communities and our country. We cannot stand idly by and watch while billionaires reap benefits on the backs of our children."

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