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Vote No on Proposition 300
PRESS RELEASE
From:
Arizona Ecumenical Council
4423 N. 24th St., Suite 750
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-468-3818
aec@aecunity.net
Contact:
Rev. Jan Olav Flaaten, Executive Director
602-468-3818
jflaaten@aecunity.net
The Executive Board and the Voting Membership of the Arizona Ecumenical Council (AEC) have taken a formal
position on two of the November ballot propositions, in support of Proposition 202, to raise the minimum wage,
and in opposition to Proposition 300, to limit public services for undocumented families.
The Council has been active in supporting the various efforts of faith and community organizations (such as Interfaith
Worker Justice and Let Justice Roll) to raise the minimum wage. Many of the AEC¹s member denominations have also been
actively supporting this measure of economic justice on both a federal and state levels. Work deserves fair wages and
since the Federal minimum wage has not been raised since 1997, the issue can not be ignored. Even though $6.75 is still
far from providing a living wage in the present economy, we support both the raise and the indexed increase. It is, in
our estimation, a start in the right direction. We ask you to vote "Yes" on Proposition 202.
The AEC has also been active in advocating for a humane immigration policy, one that considers both our nation's security
and the impact that our actions have on millions of families. Many faith groups have written to Congress and the state
legislature to do more than pass enforcement-only legislation. Instead we have also asked them to address the status of the
12 million undocumented persons who are already here, especially as we express concern for separated families, the well-being
of children, and the need for legal workers. Proposition 300 would legally eliminate various services for health and education
that could benefit those who live and work here, even children who are U.S. citizens. The exact implications are unclear, but the
proposition is short-sighted and punitive legislation which jeopardizes the health and well-being of our ³neighbors². We ask you to vote "No"
on Proposition 300.
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