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Ervin: I’ll work to bring bipartisan solutions

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Growing up in Arizona, my parents — an Air Force captain and nursing teacher — instilled in me the importance of hard work, honesty, respect, civic responsibility and serving with integrity. I am running for State Senator to bring these desperately needed values to our Legislature to forge bipartisan solutions to the issues our state is facing and help the working families of Arizona.

I never planned to run for public office, but have always been committed to helping our community by volunteering with environmental, public service and educational organizations including as a tutor for second-graders. The needs I saw while assisting others led me to visit our state Legislature to learn what could be done to help the people in our community. What I found at the state Legislature were self-serving career politicians who were focused on getting reelected, rewarding corporate donors, and practicing partisan politics.

This includes my opponent, who repeatedly votes against equality for women, defunds community colleges and limits access to quality affordable health care. This year during the pandemic and with an education funding shortage, he co-sponsored a bill that imposed a new tax on family vehicles, gave a massive tax break to utilities and golf courses, and would cost the state over $100 million annually.

As someone who grew up in a military family, it was disheartening to see that on multiple occasions my opponent voted against measures to help our brave veterans.

Knowing a change needed to be made, I spoke with thousands of people in LD20 to listen to the issues most important to them.

Folks told me there is a large list of issues that the state has failed to address including education, health care, jobs, small business development, roads, air quality, water quality, environmental protections, criminal justice reform, and safe neighborhoods. Overall people really want elected officials to listen to the people, work together to get things done and communicate honestly.

As an accountant with decades of business and financial experience, I am working to restore fiscal responsibility to our state Legislature so we properly fund our schools ensuring all students receive a great education, everyone has access to quality, affordable health care and we make smart infrastructure investments — all of which will help grow our economy and create good-paying jobs.

My plan to generate the revenue necessary includes correcting the myriad unproductive tax breaks that have been given to special interest groups recently and are draining millions from public education. It is time to stop rewarding political donors and start helping the people of Arizona.

We deserve elected officials who listen to the citizens in our community and serve with integrity, so please feel free to contact me anytime at www.ErvinForAZ.com. I look forward to listening to the issues important to your family, earning your vote, and serving you in the State Senate.

Douglas Ervin is a Democratic candidate for the Arizona Senate representing Legislative District 20. Learn more at www.ErvinForAZ.com.

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