Kelli Butler

Arizona native, wife, Navy mom, small business owner; former AZ State Rep.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@ChaplainVingo I’m retired from politics, but I fully expect and will join you in calls for improvement for long term care settings. It’s exciting to anticipate Dems leading on real reform in many areas that will truly help people! ❤️

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

Huge congratulations to Rep-elect Christine Scianna! Her perspective and experience trying to improve Arizona’s broken systems for our DDD community is so needed. I’m looking forward to seeing the change she’s going to create! #LD29 #DemsLead 🙏❤️👏

[Arizona House Democrats @AZHouseDems]

Great story about incoming majority maker freshman Democratic Representative Christine Scianna. She is the parent of a developmentally disabled daughter whose care program our caucus fought to save in 2025. She tried to advocate to her representative, Speaker Steve Montenegro, but was ignored. So she ran for the House, and in January will be sworn in as his seat mate.
https://t.co/YpqIDOUf3g

[The AZ - abc15 - Data Guru @Garrett_Archer]

Davis-Monthan airbase in Tucson shifted 44 points from Trump+23.5 to Hobbs+20.5.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@themom_katie @azesamemes @jp_twist Yes I’m aware. And aware of some obvious problems too.

https://t.co/i2bBCmPFSE

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

That sounds ominous @jp_twist, but here’s great news instead:

Dems have (and always had) ideas to improve district public schools - and now everyone in AZ will finally get to hear the plans.

The GOP refused any bipartisan reform. They decided to make Arizona’s ESA program among the least transparent, least accountable programs in the country. With a Dem Majority, we’ll finally get to honestly evaluate how the $1B ESA program is using our tax dollars. We’ll finally get to see the educational outcomes.

And we’ll get to make our Arizona district public schools great again! 💪#AZDems

[J.P. Twist @jp_twist]

Not without a fight. We’re ready.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@MartinCharlieAZ Thanks, Charlie! I wonder if STO reform is being considered anymore. STO reform was a frequent topic before universal ESA’s - now it seems the urgent need for ESA reform has taken all the energy.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@jarwoodaz Thanks for all your work to defeat this terrible measure, JimmyA! Such an important victory for our public schools!

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@KyleClaytonGore @A_DLCC Wow! Congratulations, Kyle! You earned this and will represent your community well. Excited to see all you accomplish!

[Karen Gresham @KarenGreshamAZ]

Thank you #LD4! I am extremely grateful for your support. My focus now will be strengthening our public schools, lowering prices for Arizona’s families, and building a sustainable economy and environment that will see us into the future. I am ready to get to work!

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

We might have been able to do both, but the GOP also made so many tax cuts, we really don’t have the revenue to support outstanding public schools AND the current ESA system. Is there a balance? I hope so. We don’t even have much data on ESA spending or outcomes, which we’ll hopefully be able to access now to find meaningful, targeted reforms. I’m really hopeful!

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

I’m glad you found a unique situation working well for your family. I know there are great choices. I also know there are terrible ones, and we have no data to know the difference.

And if $4k covers tuition, your family has access to thousands more for other supplies or activities for your kids - many things public school students don’t have access to. Or college savings that is out of reach for most families. Not trying to make this personal to you - again, I don’t fault anyone for using the system in place. ESA families are not doing anything wrong by using the ESA program if they’re following its rules.

It’s the lawmakers and the policy that needs reform to make sure tax dollars are being used well and transparently.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@BeesGolfer @arizona_sos @IfindRetards So, what are the outcomes for ESA recipients? We have no idea because there’s no testing requirements

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

🎉👏🇺🇸 So thrilling to think about the positive change our new Arizona Democratic Majority is going to make for our public schools, students and teachers!

Thinking about the late, great Libby Goff today, one of the founders of @arizona_sos, who worked so hard, for so many years to get us here 🙏���

[Save Our Schools AZ @arizona_sos]

🏛️🎉 IT’S A NEW DAY FOR AZ PUBLIC SCHOOLS! ☀️

Today we celebrate a monumental victory: AZ has FLIPPED to a pro-public education majority in BOTH the House and Senate!

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

How would we have examples of misuse in private schools? We have no idea what they’re doing with our tax dollars.

And sure - those examples should be turned over to law enforcement or the AGs office for investigation if there are criminal concerns. We should make public any ethical concerns and vote out anyone involved. Lydia Hernandez losing her seat on the Cartwright School Board is a great example of consequences for misusing tax dollars. Now the new Governing Board can audit and improve.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@BeesGolfer @arizona_sos @IfindRetards Record breaking for AZ is still 49th worst in the nation.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

I get it. Managing in this economic environment is really tough, and I understand why you’re worried. Just curious - does your private school offer a robust scholarship program though? My worry is I’m seeing all these church-based schools and other private institutions building beautiful new buildings (presumably with their increase in ESA funds) instead of setting up meaningful scholarship programs and endowments. It used to be that religious communities discounted tuition and had lots of scholarships for their families. I wonder if that’s as true today.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

I agree, these are very troubling examples. I’m glad district public school funding is transparent. We can find out about these situations and hold publicly elected officials accountable if they misuse tax dollars.

Now do private, charter and homeschools…. Oh wait. We know almost nothing about how they’re spending our money.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@AZBethLewis @arizona_sos Libby left such a wonderful legacy and will never be forgotten. She’s celebrating for sure! ❤️❤️

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@BeesGolfer @arizona_sos @IfindRetards Well here come the bots…. Can’t wait until we stop calling people hateful, absurd names like this. Let’s make America Respectful Again!

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

@bullfrog35 @arizona_sos Moving a little left of the Heritage Foundation and their Project 2025 destruction of AZ public schools is going to be great!

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

The vast majority in Arizona want ESA reform. Changes are not an “attack” on parents or students. It’s policy makers doing what they’re supposed to do - carefully evaluating the huge government program ESA has become and seeking improvements.

The GOP worked for years to block reasonable reforms. Under a Dem majority, we’ll finally get to see some real data and consider reasonable reforms.

[Kelli Butler @KelliButlerAZ]

I have NEVER demonized parents. I understand parents wanting the best setting for their child.

We simply owe it to parents, students and taxpayers to make sure ALL educational choices are quality, safe and fiscally responsible choices.

And talk about partisan politics - that would be the AZ GOP. For years, Dems have offered bills and amendments to reform the ESA program-the GOP refused to hear those bills, so the public was never aware. We had bills and amendments to strengthen public district schools-again, the GOP buried them instead of considering good ideas.