Feb. 20, 2013
Caption: Mayor Greg Stanton
Mayor Greg Stanton, chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Defense Transition Task Force, sent a letter Wednesday to Arizona’s Congressional delegation reminding them of the crushing fiscal effects of sequestration on the Phoenix region, the hub of Arizona’s economy.
As chair of the task force, Stanton has worked for nearly a year with a bipartisan group of mayors nationwide to urge Congress to find a solution to the sweeping package of mandated federal budget cuts due to begin March 1.
“This is more than just a deadline — it is our economic livelihood in Phoenix and in our state,” Stanton said. “If our Arizona delegation works together with other members of Congress, we could avoid another recession and keep moving forward toward a stronger economic future.”
Stanton said Arizona has a chance to improve its image by showing the nation that our Congressional members can work in a bipartisan way to solve a problem that is bigger than politics.
“As mayors, bipartisanship is in our DNA, and compromise comes more easily than it does in Washington,” Stanton said. “We know we have reduce spending but with a balanced approach and we also know we have to make the right choices for our cities, our communities. I’m hopeful that once they understand the devastating impact on our local economy, they will work together to find a solution.”
Stanton’s letter gave the Congressional delegation an arsenal of reasons to work together to stop sequestration, including sequestration impacts on Arizona:
- 49,000 high-wage defense industry jobs will be at risk
- 14,000 jobs lost from 30 health, education and employment programs
- $15.2 million cut from early childhood education and 1,517 children unable to participate in Head Start
- $85.9 million cut from education and 27,367 poor and at-risk students will lose services provided by Title I grants
- $3.6 million cut from health care and more than 100,000 women and children would lose services on pregnancy outcomes, infant health, and assisting children with special health-care needs.
- $6.6 million cut from workforce programs and 29,465 adults will not receive job training placement services
- $5.7 million cut from community services and 508 victims of domestic violence will not get services or shelter
The official deadline for sequestration is March 1, in eight days. Stanton will continue to work with other mayors and members of Congress to stop sequestration. He is also asking community members to contact their member of Congress to work toward bipartisan compromise on sequestration immediately. For more information about the impacts of sequestration, visit secondtonone.org.
To schedule an interview with Mayor Stanton, please e-mail sarah.muench@phoenix.gov.
Media Contact:
| Sarah Muench | 602-262-7111 |
