By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Arizona State Senate candidate Esteban Flores joined Tucson Now on Monday to make his pitch to voters as he campaigns to represent Legislative District 21 ahead of the upcoming election. Flores, who previously ran for the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board in 2024, outlined his priorities on public school audits, state tax relief, and border enforcement.
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A central pillar of Flores’ platform is expanding parental choice in education and overhauling public school spending. Flores argued that taxpayer dollars are increasingly trapped in administrative overhead rather than reaching students and educators, calling for a comprehensive audit of district finances to keep resources inside classrooms.
Turning to southern Arizona’s economy and cost of living, Flores advocated for eliminating Arizona’s state income tax, reducing property taxes, and slashing local building permitting delays to spur affordable housing. When pressed on how the state would offset the resulting $9 billion revenue gap from repealing the income tax, Flores said he would mandate a state budget audit first to eliminate waste while attracting more businesses to fill the void.
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On border issues, Flores called for reinforced security and increased backing for Border Patrol and local law enforcement. He argued that tighter border enforcement is essential to halting the flow of illicit narcotics into southern Arizona communities, noting that fentanyl has grown from a localized concern into an urgent statewide public safety crisis.
Flores closed by arguing that Legislative District 21 needs fresh leadership to tackle high local poverty and unemployment rates. He pledged to focus on economic revitalization and public safety so younger families can achieve the American dream in southern Arizona.
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