MEDIA ADVISORY: November 14, 2022
CONTACTS: Karen Ottoni, 806-730-0411, karen@abicaction.org
Yes On 308 Coalition Celebrates Passage of Proposition 308 in Arizona
Calls on Congress to Pass a Dream Act
LIVE RECORDING: HERE
PHOENIX, AZ – Today, the Yes on 308 Coalition celebrated the historic passage of Proposition 308, which will allow any Arizona high school graduate who has resided in Arizona for two years to pay the same in-state tuition as their peers to attend Arizona state colleges and universities, regardless of their immigration status.
The proposition garnered considerable bipartisan support state- and nation-wide from Arizona business, faith and community leaders, and elected officials ranging from democrats like President Obama and Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema to republicans like Arizona State House Speaker Rusty Bowers and former Arizona republican gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson.
The victory comes in the wake of the two year-long, nearly $6 million Yes on 308 campaign that included TV and digital ads, polling and message-testing, field, and the creation of a fellowship program with 12 Dreamer Fellows who all received communications and voter engagement training to put their personal stories out into the field at more than 40 events. Field outreach with partners included knocking on 3.8 million doors and making 3.3 million text and phone attempts, for a total of 1 million completed voter contacts.
“Voters from Arizona, from a border state rejected demonization, rejected scare tactics and chose solutions,” said Bob Worsley, ZenniHome CEO, Retired Arizona Republican State Senator and Co-Chair, ABIC Action, “Democrats and a substantial number of Republicans and Independents decided to change the constitution to treat immigrant children raised in Arizona with humanity. Now Democrats and Republicans must come together and follow Arizona’s example to move forward bipartisan immigration reform in Washington for dreamers, farm workers, and every American hurting from inflation caused by labor shortages in most industries.”
“The voters are much smarter than the professional politicians. With inflation hurting the pocket books of every American, voters chose solutions,” said Rebecca Shi, ABIC Action Executive Director. “The scare tactics, the demonization of immigrants failed. A key take-away from this election is that using Immigration as a wedge to take power has limited utility. Now it is time for Democrats and Republicans to come together for solutions and pass a Farm Workforce Modernization Act and the Dream Act.”
Key messages that were hammered home included “These are Arizona kids and they deserve the same treatment as all Arizona students; that Prop 308’s passage would cost taxpayers nothing but would benefit the state economically down the road; and by repeatedly instructing voters to flip their ballots and vote yes on prop. 308 (the initiative was on Page 2 of the November ballot, near the bottom of all the ballot initiatives).
In response to today’s victory, Arizona Dreamers and business leaders issued the following statements:
Karrin Taylor Robson, Arizona business leader and Republican: “Arizona voters approved a ballot initiative that represents an enormous economic boost for our state. We have invested in Arizona’s high school students regardless of immigration status and now they can pursue post-secondary education opportunities in our state that will allow them to fill jobs that require a well-educated and trained workforce. Prop 308 was a pro-business initiative and today I celebrate that our citizens made the right choice.”
“Arizona’s correction of this misguided mistake was years in the making,” said David Adame, president and CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa. “We were among those working hard in 2021 to ensure the Legislature referred the Dreamers’ tuition issue back to voters in 2022. And once ballot status was achieved, we were all-in to push for its successful passage. CPLC, through its sister advocacy organization Sí Se Vota CPLC Action Fund, contributed more than $1.1 million to Yes on Prop 308. In addition to its campaign leadership role and engaging Latino voters, CPLC enlisted the business and labor community, helping garner the endorsements of both the Greater Phoenix Chamber and the Arizona AFL-CIO union.”
Tyler Montague, Yes on 308 Campaign Chairman: “Prop 308 represents fairness and today we celebrate that our Dreamers will have a fair shot at higher education thanks to a diverse group of bipartisan business, faith, and community leaders who worked tirelessly together to achieve this result. Dreamers will now have the opportunity to continue their education and employment in their home state and the Yes on 308 campaign is especially thankful to our Dreamers who bravely shared their stories to educate voters about the importance of tuition fairness and equal access. Congress needs to follow Arizona’s example and legalize our dreamers to reach their full potential.”
Hazel Villatoro, Dreamer: “I am grateful to everyone who supported this campaign to win in-state tuition for students like myself, who are driven, hard-working and want to contribute to our communities and our state. Arizona is my home and the passage of Prop. 308 allows me to pursue my dream here alongside my family and friends whom I grew up with. Thank you, Arizona voters!”
Delia Rodriguez, Dreamer: “Today I can say that I finally feel that my dream of becoming a social worker in Arizona is not impossible. As a Dreamer who was brought to this country as a young kid, my only goal has always been to be able to become a professional to contribute to Arizona’s workforce and community. I would like to thank everyone for their support, for listening to our stories, for contributing to this campaign and for fighting for our education.”
John Graham, Chairman and CEO of Sunbelt Holdings: “The passage of Prop. 308 encourages all of our talented Dreamers to build their careers in our state, which will keep talent here and greatly benefit our state’s economy. I know firsthand that Dreamers are hard workers and they represent an important part of Arizona’s future. They grew up here and they are a valuable part of our churches, schools, and communities. I personally thank all of the voters who supported this ballot initiative for understanding that all Arizona students deserve fair treatment. Now Congress must follow Arizona’s example to provide permanence for our dreamers”
ABOUT
Yes On 308 is a bipartisan campaign led by education, business, faith, and civic leaders seeking to provide all Arizona high school graduates, regardless of their immigration status, the opportunity to pay their own way through college at the in-state tuition rate. Ending the unfair treatment of Arizona’s undocumented high school graduates by allowing equal access to in-state tuition rates at the state colleges and universities will allow them to reach their educational goals, become self-sufficient, and give back to our community.
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