Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs delivered the speech to a joint session of the Legislature at the state Capitol on Monday.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs' remarks in her first State of the State address, as prepared for delivery:
We are all here because we care deeply about Arizona — its natural beauty, its abundant opportunities and, most of all, its resilient, diverse, and incredible people. If you’re ready to make real progress on the issues that matter most to the people of this state, then my door will always be open. One of the things I learned as a social worker is the power of prosperity — when families are doing well, so many other things start going the same way. And while every issue we face has complexities, one thing that’s not complicated is that the easiest way to change someone’s life is to offer them the opportunity for a new or better job.
To all of Arizona’s diverse, vibrant, and strong communities, from Page to Patagonia: You have built our state into the incredible place it is today. As we go forward into the future, it will take all of us — all of us — to maintain our strength, fix our deficiencies, and blaze new trails for the generations that follow.
We have some of the best K-12 schools in the country — but the state has long failed to live up to its obligation to adequately invest fairly in public education in every community, and we see the results of that with high teacher vacancy rates and some districts with crumbling infrastructure. As I said in my inaugural address, I’m an optimist — especially when it comes to Arizona. I believe we are the greatest state in this nation. I believe in our educators and our students. I believe in the men and women who protect our public safety every day. I believe in our innovators, risk takers, and entrepreneurs. I believe in our public servants. I believe in the future of our incredible state — and I know you do too.
My hope is that when you leave here today, you understand that I and my administration are committed to action and to improving the lives of every Arizonan. And if you are committed to those same ideals, then I am ready to work side-by-side with you — no matter your party registration. As part of last year’s budget negotiations, a promise was made that a special session would be called to override this limit that’s based on an out-of-date, 40-year-old funding formula that’s holding our public schools hostage.We must make this right. If we do not, this ticking time bomb will explode and force a 1.3 billion dollar cut that would be one of the largest in our state’s history.
In fact, funding this expansion is poised to cost Arizona taxpayers an estimated $1.5 billion over the next 10 years if left unaddressed. To members of this legislature, I hope we can all agree that when we keep the most talented teachers in the classroom, our kids win, our families win, and our communities win.
With the release of my budget on Friday, you will see historic investment in schools to address capital needs and my office will keep working to ensure Arizona’s children and teachers can learn and work in safe and secure school buildings. Let me go on the record to say that any school that accepts taxpayer dollars should have to abide by the same accountability standards that all district schools do. We have seen too many examples of individuals and shady corporations taking advantage of the system and our students.
I strongly urge the legislature to continue bringing solutions to my desk to ensure our public schools — in all communities — have the resources they need to help our kids succeed. Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona all produceworkforce-ready graduates, attract millions of dollars in investments, and push the boundaries ofknowledge and innovation.
My administration is ready and willing to work with any member of this legislature to find additional solutions. Let’s work together to ensure Arizona’s higher education opportunities are the best in the nation and put individuals on the path to future prosperity.As we all know, we have so many reasons to be proud of Arizona. Companies are growing here and, as a result, the job market is robust. What’s more, we have enormous potential on the horizon.
My administration’s first step will be to support a $150 million investment into the Housing Trust Fund this year — and I will call for additional support in the years ahead. We will also help lower costs for Arizona families by exempting diapers and feminine hygiene products from our state’s sales tax. These everyday items add up and we can and should help provide this relief to individuals and families who too often must choose between paying their bills or paying for the things they need to be healthy.
This obligation extends to our border, our broken immigration system, and the communities across the state who must continue to bear the brunt of Washington, D.C.’s decades of failure on this critical issue. Visit border communities and speak with local leaders and law enforcement like I — and many others here — have done and you come away with a broader understanding of the complexities of this issue and the urgent need to institute solutions.
An overwhelming majority of Arizonans — more than 90 percent, in fact — believe abortion should be legal. It is time we all heed the message of the people of this state and meet this moment to ensure that we can always make our own healthcare decisions. Finally, none of the solutions — or even the future — I have spoken about today will be possible without our state’s most precious resource — water.
From the work our current Senators Sinema and Kelly are leading, to the accomplishments of former Senator Jon Kyl and former Governor Bruce Babbitt, to decades of efforts by Arizonans before them, our state’s leaders are at their best when they reach across the aisle for pragmatic solutions on this issue.
This should be a wake-up call for all of us, because it will take all of us to solve it. Legislators, public officials, the business community – each and every one of us must commit to the partnerships needed to avoid this. Experts here in Arizona and across the nation agree there is no “silver bullet” solution to our current water challenges. We must evaluate and invest in both short- and long-term efforts that will help us achieve our goals.First, my administration has heard loud and clear that re-establishing the Governor’s Energy Office is a priority for communities across the state.
We all know that’s not right. Our groundwater should be used to support Arizonans, not foreign business interests. My administration is ready and willing to work with you and we will always do what’s best for Arizona and its people.
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