MAC & GAYDOS

Mesa mayor: Service refusal bill could be ‘worse than SB 1070’

Feb 25, 2014, 5:25 PM

LISTEN: Mesa Mayor - Scott Smith

PHOENIX — The effects of an Arizona bill that would allow businesses to refuse services based on religion could be worse than one that enacted some of the harshest immigration laws in the nation.

“This actually, I think, has the potential of being bigger than (Senate Bill) 1070 was,” Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said of Senate Bill 1062 during a Tuesday interview on News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Mac & Gaydos.

Smith said SB 1062 is essentially strike three for Arizona, with 1070 being strike two and an earlier failure to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a holiday.

“This just seems, when you read it, to open the door for institutionalized discrimination that goes far beyond what it think the authors were trying to accomplish and where the discussion was,” he said. “I don’t think anyone thought it through.”

Smith first learned of the bill passing the legislature when he was hosting the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He said many members of the bipartisan group spoke to him about the bill.

“The reaction was worse than 1070,” he said. “People saw this as an affront.

“They saw 1062 as a threat to the very liberties it purported to protect.”

Smith has experience dealing with mayors angered by Arizona law. His first time in the conference was shortly after SB 1070 was passed and he spent years trying convince mayors that this isn’t a bad state.

“I’ve really worked hard over the last few years with my fellow mayors to change their perception of Arizona, to help them to understand why we do some of the things we do here in Arizona,” he said, adding that 2014 was a breakthrough year in getting mayors to travel to Arizona.

However, one conservative mayor told Smith they would not have traveled to the state knowing Sb 1062 was making its way through the state Legislature.

Mayors aren’t the only issue on Smith’s hands. He and the city have been contacting companies, including tech giant Apple, to ask them to be patient while the government works.

“We have definitely reached out to companies and to individuals and to others, just like I did with the mayors. I said ‘Let this play out.'”

Smith has also

He has yet to speak to Gov. Jan Brewer on the matter, but Smith has publicly denounced the bill and feels a lot of residents agree with him.

“I don’t think that most Arizonans want that to be the face of Arizona because it’s not,” he said.

Mac & Gaydos

(Facebook Photo/Governor Jan Brewer)...

KTAR.com

Former Gov. Brewer calls on Ducey to push forward gun reform legislation

Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer says Gov. Doug Ducey needs to "drive the train" toward passing gun safety legislation in the state. 

5 years ago

(Screenshot)...

KTAR.com

Man shot in the groin with pepper ball at Trump protest suing Phoenix

The man shot in the groin with a non-lethal weapon by police during a protest outside a 2017 Phoenix appearance by Donald Trump intends to sue the city.

5 years ago

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)...

KTAR.com

Hacienda suspect never raised any red flags, former co-worker says

A former Hacienda HealthCare employee had nothing but praise for Nathan Sutherland, who is accused of sexually assaulting an incapacitated woman who gave birth last month. 

6 years ago

(AP Photo/Matt York)...

KTAR.com

Sheriff Paul Penzone said he’s fired employees for racial profiling

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said he’s had to fire employees for racial profiling, and others have quit while under investigation.

6 years ago

(KTAR Photo/Matt Bertram)...

KTAR.com

Arizona Gov. Ducey hopes Jon Kyl changes mind about short Senate stay

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey wants U.S. Senate appointee Jon Kyl to remain in office beyond January. “Hopefully he stays for two years,” Ducey told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

6 years ago

(LinkedIn Photo/Mallory Heath)...

KTAR.com

Despite raises, award-winning Arizona teacher doesn’t regret leaving job

Mallory Heath, a former high school teacher in Chandler, said she's not second-guessing her decision to leave Arizona's education system for financial reasons.

6 years ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Sanderson Ford

3 storylines to get you revved up for the 2024 Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals training camp is just a couple weeks away starting on July 25, and Sanderson Ford is revved up and ready to go.

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Here’s how to be worry-free when your A/C goes out in the middle of summer

PHOENIX -- As Arizona approaches another hot summer, Phoenix residents are likely to spend more time indoors.

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Beat the heat, ensure your AC unit is summer-ready

With temperatures starting to rise across the Valley, now is a great time to be sure your AC unit is ready to withstand the sweltering summer heat.

Mesa mayor: Service refusal bill could be ‘worse than SB 1070’