To: Governor Doug Ducey
Governor Brewer, Respect the Dignity of All Arizonans
Governor Brewer, please respect the dignity of Arizona's citizens and drop your legal fight to deny state benefits to same sex workers. It is the right thing to do both morally and fiscally. Arizona citizens cannot afford another costly legal battle to further partisan ideology and promote bigotry against our fellow citizens.
Why is this important?
In spite of rulings by the U.S. District Court and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is intent on denying benefits to the same sex partners of state employees.
The Governor claims this is an effort to save the state money, but this makes little sense. The passage of SB1070 cost Arizona over $3 million in legal fees and at least $141 million dollars in lost tourism revenue.
If Governor Brewer continues this fight, we can expect similar losses, far more damaging to our state budget than the $1.8 million it currently costs to extend benefits to the same sex partners of state employees.
This is not about money.
It is yet another instance of Arizona lawmakers promoting bigotry and a conservative "state's rights" agenda at the expense of the citizens they are sworn to serve.
Governor Brewer, respect the dignity of Arizona's citizens and drop this legal fight. It is the right thing to do morally and the right thing to do fiscally.