REFERENCE TITLE: defunding ACORN

State of Arizona Senate Forty-ninth Legislature Second Regular Session 2010

SCR 1027

Introduced by Senators Harper, Gorman, Gould, Pearce R; Representatives Lesko, Montenegro: Senator Allen S; Representative Goodale

 

A CONCURRENT resolution

 

proclaiming that Arizona will not provide state monies to acorn.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Whereas, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) was founded in 1970 with the mission of increasing voter participation, delivering services to inner-city neighborhoods, community organizing and carrying out issue campaigns; and

Whereas, ACORN is an organization guilty of violating numerous laws and aiding and abetting criminal activity; and

Whereas, in 2003, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found the ACORN had illegally suppressed the ability of its employees to organize a union.  The NLRB said, "By interrogating employees about their union activities, by informing employees that other employees have been discharged because of the union, by threatening employees that selecting the union to represent them will be futile, and by threatening employees with discharge, respondent has violated section 8(a) of the act"; and

Whereas, ACORN workers have been convicted of voter registration crimes in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington; and

Whereas, on November 14, 2008, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development stopped all contributions to ACORN, citing "[S]erious concerns about national ACORN's financial accountability, transparency, governance and organization integrity," and "reports of ACORN involvement in alleged voter registration fraud and political partisanship"; and

Whereas, ACORN workers were videotaped in Baltimore, New York City, San Diego, San Bernadino and Washington, D.C. aiding and abetting prostitution, child prostitution, human trafficking, illegal immigration and tax fraud; and

Whereas, ACORN workers instructed individuals to falsify tax forms by listing child prostitutes as "dependents"; and

Whereas, on September 11, 2009, the United States Department of Commerce ended its partnership on the 2010 census with ACORN, citing a lack of confidence in the organization; and

Whereas, on September 15, 2009, the United States Senate voted 83-7 to prohibit federal funds from going to ACORN; and

Whereas, on September 16, 2009, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs remarked, "The conduct you see on those tapes is completely unacceptable"; and

Whereas, on September 17, 2009, the United States House of Representatives voted 345-75 to prohibit federal funds from going to ACORN; and

Whereas, a large portion of ACORN's funding comes from government grants; and

Whereas, since 1994, ACORN has received more than $53 million in government grants.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the Members of the Legislature declare the intent of Arizona to not provide any taxpayer monies to support ACORN or any group affiliated with ACORN.