Rep. Stanton addresses federal budget cuts impacting Phoenix
PHOENIX - Democratic Congressman Greg Stanton (4th District) held a news conference on March 19 to shed light on the federal budget cuts made by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Stanton, and American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees members also spoke at the event, including Local 2960 President Frank Piccioli, Local 2384 President Jason Henley, AFSCME member Kanika Jones, a Head Start Case Worker; and AFSCME member Sonya Alva, a 911 Operator and Dispatcher.
What they're saying:
At the AFSCME Local 2960 Hall near 18th Street and Thomas Road, speakers warned that the cuts will harm working families and retirees, damage our communities, and threaten public service jobs.
In a press release sent before the event, AFSCME officials stated, "Public service workers – from nurses to child care providers to corrections officers – have dedicated their careers to making our communities stronger, safer and healthier. Cutting federal funding for public services will threaten the work they do and their livelihoods."
"With the budget cuts, it does put the city of Phoenix in danger, said Jones. "Because 911 calls are not getting answered right away."
It's the latest event in the Valley to address the cuts, with previous discussions addressing cutbacks on education, healthcare and Social Security.
Meanwhile, Arizona Republicans shared ideas on March 18. At the event, the group discussed how to tackle Medicare and Social Security reform, from privatization to creating incentives for healthier living, and utilizing technology like AI to cut down on the workforce and create efficiency.
However, Rep. David Schweikert (1st District) said the country is facing tens of trillions of dollars of debt over the next decade, much of which is generated by interest on borrowed money alone. The congressman said it’s fixable, but the scale of it makes it extremely difficult.
DOGE closures: List, timeline of government offices that may close this year
Hundreds of offices across the country will become empty this summer as the federal government plans to cancel leases. Here's the state-by-state list.