Arizona State House of Representatives Legislator

Amish Shah




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Platform

Education

Arizona ranks near last in the country in teacher pay. We rank very low in spending per child. As a solution, the legislature passed a teacher raise recently, but the plan is neither permanent nor adequate. The raises are dependent on future revenue, which is not guaranteed. The plan also does nothing about the poor pay for non-teachers and the massive shortfall in capital funding, which pays for school books, chalk and buildings. A real solution would involve raising the appropriate revenue. Kids cannot vote. They depend upon an education system to give them the tools they need to succeed. Without proper education, we cannot maintain a thriving democracy nor a robust economy. This is a moral outrage. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for my teachers. I had a rough childhood, but two teachers in particular showed me generosity and kindness and with that encouragement, I was able to fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor. I now serve the public and save lives. As a former medical school faculty member, I stand proudly with Arizona’s educators and will demand that we fund the entire system to give every kid a great shot.

Healthcare

I am a physician who works all over Arizona in our Emergency Departments. Every day, I take care of people without any regard for their ability to pay. Many are in the ER because they have nowhere else to go, but the ER cannot provide comprehensive care. People need specialists and office visits too. They shouldn't lose everything they have worked hard for because they are sick. So stand with me. I stand for ALL AMERICANS to have comprehensive and high-quality healthcare with ease of access.

Democracy

We Arizona voters have the ability to enact laws by putting important issues directly on the ballot. In 2016, voters approved Proposition 206, which increased the minimum wage and gave many Arizonans a much-needed raise. In response to Proposition 206, legislators in 2017 introduced and passed several bills that made it more difficult for the people to enact laws. Since that time, we have seen dozens of bills which create obstacles to voting. I stand firmly against every last one of these measures, as well as the “dark money” bills. I believe in a transparent democracy where the people hold power. To that end, we have ONLY accepted individual donations in our State House races.