Voters also want legislature to invest in public lands and address criminal justice reform
Contact: Joaquin Rios, SiX Arizona State Director, (480) 229-1895, joaquin@stateinnovation.org
Phoenix, AZ: New polling commissioned by the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) shows Arizona voters are concerned about the impact of COVID-19. Sixty-eight percent of Arizona voters agree that because of the impacts of the pandemic, the state government should invest more resources to help struggling families, businesses, schools, and health care systems.
“Arizonans want the state legislature to take action to support the working people who have felt the impact of this pandemic. We need to get money into people’s hands to keep them from going hungry, being unable to access health care, or losing their homes,” said Joaquin Rios, SiX Arizona State Director.
Six in ten Arizona voters believe it would be better for working people if the wealthy and big corporations paid more, not less, in taxes. Arizonans support bold policy solutions to address the economic fallout from the pandemic. Arizonans want to see an expansion of unemployment insurance during the pandemic (70% support overall) including support from 49% of Republicans, 73% of white voters, 65% Latinx, 66% people of color, and 72% of those 65 and older.
When asked if Arizona’s working families would benefit from an expansion of paid family, medical and sick leave or fewer mandates on businesses, Arizonans—by nearly a two to one margin—supported the expansion (53% support, 27% oppose). More than four in five see a role for employers in funding the leave programs.
Additionally, seven in ten Arizonans want funding restored for the Arizona State Heritage Fund and express agreement (84% agree) that access to parks is vital to health during this pandemic.
Arizonans also want to see the legislature address inequities within the criminal justice system. Arizonans are opposed to mandatory minimum sentences by a two to one margin, support expunging record for marijuana offenses (65% support, 26% oppose).
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