PHOENIX ,June 4, 2015- Governor Doug Ducey today announced a fiscally-sound, responsible spending plan that would inject $1.8 billion into K-12 schools over five years -- without burdening the state budget or raising taxes on Arizonans.
In 2010, then-State Treasurer Ducey created and championed Prop 118, a measure that simplified how schools receive funds from the state's land trust in order to ensure more consistent, reliable funding to K-12 schools.
The percentage that was set for distribution was 2.5 percent each year, with 93 percent of that money going to K-12 education.
Governor Ducey's new proposal would increase the current distribution formula from 2.5 percent to 10 percent for a period of five years. If approved, the governor's plan would give schools about $1.8 billion more than they would receive under the current formula in the first five years. After that, the formula would shift to 5 percent for the following five years -- double the current rate.
Governor Ducey has called on the Legislature to take up this proposal and refer it to the ballot for voters to approve.
Highlights of the Governor's Plan:
- Increases the current distribution formula from 2.5 percent to 10 percent over five years, and shifts to a rate of 5 percent for the following five years -- still double the current rate;
- Gives schools nearly $1.8 billion more than they would currently receive from the formula over five years;
- Accomplishes all of this with no new taxes and no additional general fund spending.
"This plan is about spending more money on K-12 education in the face of budget challenges -- without raising taxes on hardworking Arizonans," said Governor Ducey. "What we've found here is a solution that will inject more resources into our K-12 schools without touching the general fund or proposing a tax increase on Arizonans. It's a solution we all can get behind. It's our money for our kids."
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school_funding_q_and_a_2.pdf (42.02 KB)school_funding_background.pdf (231.08 KB)govduceyremarks.pdf (27.83 KB)
