Democratic Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar is sounding the alarm over major federal cuts she says will affect every Arizonan, following President Trump’s recent tax and immigration bill.
Speaking during an information session hosted by Americans For Responsible Growth, Benatar and several Democratic state treasurers focused primarily on the bill’s projected impact on Medicaid.
Benatar criticized the Trump administration and congressional Republicans for slashing vital services while handing out tax breaks to the wealthy.
“This administration has done their very best to ensure that the wealthy have immediate access to tax breaks on the backs of hard working Americans,” she said. “The impact on them, though, has in large part been purposely concealed until after the midterms.”
She emphasized that Medicaid accounts for 74% of Arizona’s federal funding, making it a cornerstone of the state’s budget.
But the consequences, she warned, won’t stop there. Cuts will likely ripple through everything from school meal programs to fire district budgets and rural hospital funding.
“It’s going to hit all of our communities,” Benatar said. “This is not a rural problem. This is not an urban problem. This is an American problem. It is going to hurt every single American in one way or another.”
Calling county treasurers the “bank” for Arizona’s taxing districts, Benatar said local governments are being forced to get creative—often by taking on debt.
“We’re having serious conversations in large school districts: How are we going to pay the bills? How are we going to keep the lights on?” she said. “I’ve been a county treasurer for over a decade, and I’ve never had to plan at this level just to make sure we have cash on hand—even if it’s coming later. Because the answer is, we don’t know if it’s coming at all.”
Other state treasurers from Connecticut, Washington, and Colorado echoed Benatar’s concerns and directly criticized Trump’s leadership.
“It seems as though the president wakes up every day with a new concept and rolls it out even unbeknownst to his staff,” said Colorado Treasurer Dave Young. “I would encourage Congress to reel in the president—actually assert their authority.”
Leave a Reply