In Arizona, Gallego Touts Plan to Strengthen Middle Class, Meets with Arizona Students

Senator Gallego discussed economic opportunity, civic engagement, early voting, and education during stops in Phoenix and Chandler PHOENIX – This past weekend, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) met with Arizona families, students and media to discuss his plan to strengthen the middle class, encourage civic participation and expand educational opportunities across the state. Gallego met with members of Phoenix-area media to discuss his economic policy plan to rebuild America’s middle class , titled “ Saving the Middle Class and Restoring the American Dream. ” The five-pillar plan called for, among other provisions, a tax on data centers and AI, a New Deal-style public service jobs program and raising the minimum wage to $20 per hour, with the goal of building an economy that works for middle-class families. In Chandler, Gallego joined Chandler High School students for a Latino Leaders conversation about how culture, background and personal experiences can shape a career and become strengths in pursuing future goals. Gallego shared his own journey into public service, lessons from his career and advice for students before taking questions from the students. Senator Gallego speaks with Chandler High School students “I love meeting students. It matters to me. I think growing up, and having opportunities to meet people that were in different careers and seeing them was key to me,” Senator Gallego said after the conversation. “That kind of thing helped me understand where my future can be.” Gallego later joined Frankie Pastor, grandson of former Congressman Ed Pastor, for an “ AZ Barrio Stories ” conversation focused on the importance of education and expanding opportunities for Arizona students. The discussion highlighted Gallego’s education plan and his priorities for strengthening educational access and outcomes across the state. Senator Gallego with Dr. Jose Leyba and Frankie Pastor on the set of “AZ Barrio Stories” “We are so rich with Latino leadership, and I think it’s amazing. Where we need to add more people is making sure we get our Latinos into the boardrooms, the corporate rooms, the nonprofit rooms, and everywhere else where decisions are being made. And then we’ve got to make sure it trickles down,” said Senator Gallego. “We need to have more Latino-owned businesses, and more Latino teachers, and especially male teachers. That’s a big help in terms of really creating the next generation of leaders.”