No on 302 Adds Key Support; Valley Leadership Groups Say 'No' to Seizing Kids' Funds

With more than 5,000 Arizonans already supporting No on 302, the campaign to prevent the Arizona Legislature from destroying First Things First by seizing funds designated for children has picked up more key leadership endorsements in the past 72 hours. Greater Phoenix Leadership and the East Valley Partnership have endorsed the campaign to stop Proposition 302 at the polls.

“We’re glad for the outpouring of support from all over the state and from every sector imaginable,” said Nadine Mathis Basha, chairperson of No on 302. “These leaders believe what we believe: That Arizona voters have demanded we do our best by our children. We said so in 2006, when we voted to create the First Things First early childhood system and we reaffirmed this commitment in May, when we voted to pass Prop 100 and protect education and health care. Sadly, the Legislature clearly doesn’t to want to listen.”

Greater Phoenix Leadership collectively represents 105 top companies and over 250,000 employees.  GPL members work together to move forward initiatives, public policy and projects that will strengthen the future of Arizona. Through engagement and results-producing relationships with philanthropic organizations, government and educators, GPL members are committed to making the greater Phoenix region and the State of Arizona the place where citizens want to live, work, raise a family and earn a quality education.

“GPL members believe that a ready workforce is essential to a health economy, and we strongly supported First Things First when the voter said that investing in early childhood development is an important part of ensuring a ready workforce,” said PetSmart CEO Phil Francis, chairman of GPL. “Making sure that our children begin school ready to succeed should not be sacrificed as we meet the challenges of getting the state’s fiscal house in order. GPL is committed to ensuring that both goals are achieved.”

The East Valley Partnership is a coalition of civic, business, educational and political leaders from Ahwatukee, Apache Junction, Carefree, Cave Creek, Chandler, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Florence, Fountain Hills, Gila River Indian Community, Gilbert, Guadalupe, Mesa, Queen Creek, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Scottsdale, Sun Lakes and Tempe dedicated to the economic development and promotion of the East Valley. The Partnership advocates in areas such as economic development; education; transportation and infrastructure; arts, behavioral health; and other important areas.

“The need to vote ‘no’ on 302 cannot be emphasized enough,” said Mark Dreher, the Partnership’s chairman. “If Arizona is to develop the educated workforce it needs to compete in the 21st century global economy, we need comprehensive childhood systems like First Things First. Protecting our children from birth through 5 years old isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity, as voters have said definitively at the polls.”

These two leaderships group are the latest No on 302 enlistees. Those already opposed to 302 include former Governors Bruce Babbitt, Rose Mofford and Raul Castro; ASU President Michael Crow; Fulton Homes CEO Ira Fulton; Bill Post, Former Chairman, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation & APS; Republican strategist Jay Heiler; and tribal communities like the Tohono O’odham Nation, Gila River Indian Community, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Colorado River Indian Tribes.