AFSCME, ARA, and Rep. Stanton unite against budget cuts in Arizona

Arizona Workers and Retirees Unite to Challenge Controversial Budget Cuts

In a recent gathering in Phoenix, members of AFSCME and the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans voiced their concerns over the implications of the "Big Beautiful Bill Act" on Arizona's working families and retirees. This forum, held last Thursday to mark the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, provided a platform for these groups to express their gratitude to Rep. Greg Stanton for opposing the contentious bill.

The meeting, attended by AFSCME retirees and community leaders, highlighted the detrimental effects of the new legislation on essential services such as health care and nutrition assistance. JJ Stroh, a retired AFSCME member, described the cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP as "a direct attack on seniors, retirees, working families, children, and people with disabilities."

Stroh emphasized, "As former public service workers, we delivered the services that make our communities stronger. Now, as retirees, we rely on those same programs. We’re being forced to shoulder these cuts just to make billionaires richer."

According to the groups, the federal budget will drastically reduce public services while granting an unprecedented tax break to billionaires. In Arizona alone, over 300,000 individuals risk losing essential health care, and more than 190,000 could lose critical food benefits.

Jason Henley, President of AFSCME Local 2384, commended Stanton's decision to stand with the working class. "AFSCME members, retirees and our community partners are organizing and fighting back. And we’re thankful to have strong pro-worker members of Congress like Representative Stanton standing with us," he stated.

Linda Somo, President of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, also addressed the forum, focusing on the threat to Social Security. She remarked, "There is no better way to celebrate Social Security’s anniversary than staffing the (Social Security Administration), and passing legislation to make the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share into the system."