The last decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of biomedical and clinical and translational research entities in the Phoenix area. I work at one of these companies, so I have seen this firsthand. This industry requires a highly skilled workforce, many of whom have advanced degrees such as an MD or PhD.

For top leadership positions, individuals are often recruited from out of state and a priority for them, as with most people with graduate degrees, is that their children are well educated, too. In addition, training our young people in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers is vital, so that hospitals, clinical research organizations and biomedical companies are able to find qualified candidates for these positions from within the Arizona workforce.

I find it truly shameful that Arizona routinely ranks at the bottom for national spending on education, which has occurred under a Republican-controlled legislature. I live in LD23 and am represented by three conservative Republicans – Senator Kavanaugh and Representatives Ugenti-Rita and Lawrence. I believe that it is time to have a more balanced voice in our district, so I am supporting the candidacy of Tammy Caputi, who is the only Democrat running for office in LD23 in November.

I believe that the repercussions of our serious issues with education funding may haunt Arizona for a prolonged period if steps aren’t taken immediately at the legislature. This means voting in people who truly care about making our public education system one of the best in the country.

The first step is to elect Tammy Caputi and other Democrats to the state legislature. It is time for a change.