Vote YES on Proposition 308 this November

A YES vote will allow all DREAMers who have lived in Arizona for more than two years and graduated from an Arizona high school the choice to attend Arizona’s public universities and community colleges at an in-state tuition rate (the same rate as all other resident Arizona high school graduates pay), reducing the current cost by more than 50 percent.

This November’s ballot provides Arizonans an opportunity to increase access to higher education for students who were brought to the U.S. as children, also known as “DREAMers,” after the federal DREAM Act, and often do not remember living in any other country. Proposition 308 establishes a fair and equal pathway for young adults, regardless of immigration status, to attend college in the state they call home. 

For the past two decades, anti-immigrant fervor and false rhetoric in the state have spawned some of the most punitive anti-immigration laws in the country. Last year, Republican and Democrat state policymakers came together to refer Proposition 308, a repeal of a 2006 punitive policy that outlawed state financial aid and in-state tuition for undocumented high school graduates. This November Arizonans have the opportunity to join 23 states and counting plus DC in the adoption of inclusive and fair policies which will help grow our economy. 

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Every Arizona student deserves to have access to an affordable college education. Proposition 308 ensures that all students that have met the same requirements and graduated from an Arizona high School should be treated fairly when it comes to paying for college.

Arizona’s Growing Economy  

Arizonans across the state believe that education is a major priority for our state’s economic future. Proposition 308 works to improve the economy by building our workforce with skilled workers to fill vacant jobs and support local small businesses. Voting YES on Proposition 308 allows an additional 3,600 high school graduates and DREAMers the opportunity to enroll in, and complete college, collectively earning more than $28 million annually in additional income—translating into meaningful financial benefits for the entire state.

Today, most workers need postsecondary education and skills to gain a foothold in the labor market. Creating a pathway to in-state tuition is not only the right thing to do for Arizona DREAMers, but it is a sound investment in Arizona’s economic future. These students face barriers to workforce development, economic prosperity, and the ability to pursue competitive skills. Proposition 308 creates a pathway to higher education for more than 3,600 Arizona students who are currently prevented from paying in-state tuition. The loss of opportunity is undercutting the state’s ability to compete for jobs both nationally and globally and creating an uneven economic burden.  

According to the American Immigration Council, it is estimated that voting YES on Proposition 308 will result in $4.5 million annually in federal income, state, and local taxes. Granting access to in-state tuition to all Arizona graduates is an important step toward meeting the future workforce needs and our growing economy.  

If all Arizona high school students have fair and equal access to an affordable college: