Community members are speaking up about how they’ve been impacted by federal firings and funding freezes.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes kicked off a series of town halls Wednesday night. Mayes was joined in Phoenix by attorneys general from New Mexico, Oregon and Minnesota.
Multiple attendees told the attorneys general about losing jobs.
Kristin Fray had been a music therapist at the Phoenix VA.
“It was something I worked 20 years to achieve. I was heartbroken to receive an email on Monday, Feb. 24, that said I was terminated immediately," Fray said.
The Trump administration reportedly plans to cut 80,000 employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Others spoke about how funding freezes are impacting their local groups. Superintendent Michael Robert told the group a $3 million grant to his Osborn School District was rescinded.
"As a result of this cancellation, Osborn is now facing a significant loss. Half-a-million dollars I mentioned goes to performance-based compensation. We’ve been working two-thirds of this year. The work is done but the compensation is not going to be there," Robert said.
Mayes has joined multiple lawsuits attempting to halt the executive orders. She says government restructuring isn’t the issue.
“The lawsuits that we have filed aren't about resisting change. They are about ensuring that change happens the right way," Mayes said.
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