If Proposition 123 passes this, then is the promised second step.
A $21 million cut to public schools?
This, while offering up another $26 million in mostly corporate
tax cuts?
For months, we’ve been listening to Governor Doug Ducey extol the benefits of Prop. 123, the proposal to push off some of the state’s obligation to fund K-12 schools onto the kids by siphoning more from the state land trust.
For months, Ducey has promised that it was only a “first step” toward improving the schools while refusing to say what that second step might be.
For months, we’ve been listening to Governor Doug Ducey extol the benefits of Prop. 123, the proposal to push off some of the state’s obligation to fund K-12 schools onto the kids by siphoning more from the state land trust.
For months, Ducey has promised that it was only a “first step” toward improving the schools while refusing to say what that second step might be.
Well, now we know.
Under the proposed budget for
next year, K-12 schools — schools that have endured some of the
nation’s deepest cuts since the Great Recession — will actually get less money than they got this year, after
inflation and student population growth are taken into account.
Let me say it again. OUR LEADERS ARE CUTTING
FUNDS FROM SCHOOLS EVEN AS THEY ASK YOU FOR PERMISSION TO SIPHON MORE MONEY
FROM OUR KIDS’ TRUST FUND TO PAY THE STATE’S OBLIGATIONS.
Meanwhile, the budget contains another $26 million in tax cuts.
This to go along with the 2011 tax cuts that when fully implemented will cost
the state $346 million a year – or roughly the amount the state should be
paying (but have refused to pay) to cover inflation.
Outraged shouldn’t even begin to cover it.
Want more?
The budget contains just $13 million in ongoing new money for
the state’s three universities. Of that, $5 million is earmarked for three
“economic freedom” think tanks at ASU and UA — all of which were started with
seed money from the Charles Koch Foundation. The founding director of one of
those think tanks, ASU’s Center for the Study of Economic Liberty, has called to eliminating
public schools.
Do you
see what’s going on here?
Surely, voters see what’s going on here and are ready to demand
better than this.
Something to think about as you watch the avalanche of TV
commercials full of smiling kids over the next few weeks, part of a
multi-million-dollar campaign to convince you to vote yes on Prop. 123 so they
can get their hands on the kids’ trust fund to pay what should be the state’s
obligation to educate them.
Should be, but only if voters demand it.*
You know that old saying about how you get the government you
deserve? In just 19 days, I suppose we’ll find out just how gullible we really
are.
Their scam having been exposed, our lawless Tea-Publican
legislators met in the dark of night Thursday night beginning at 9:00 p.m. to
try to reverse this public relations nightmare brought about by their own
hubris and contempt for the intelligence of the voters of this state. State budget plan amended to boost
school funding:
The Arizona House kicked off its only public hearing on the
Republican budget proposal in the dark of night Thursday, with leaders
announcing they had reached a compromise in the fight over school funding.
At the beginning of the hearing, House Appropriations Chairman
Justin Olson, R-Mesa, announced they would be introducing amendments to the
original $9.58 billion budget proposal. A coalition of Republican House members
had been pushing for weeks to boost the plan’s education funding.
The amendments introduced in Appropriations Committee on Thursday
appear to be a win for the lawmakers fighting to protect school funding. They
include:
Giving
schools another $15.5 million to fully cover the effect of the current-year
funding shift.
Giving
charter schools an additional $5.3 million to offset the small-school cuts.
Increase the amount given to district-sponsored charter schools to fully hold them harmless.
Increase the amount given to district-sponsored charter schools to fully hold them harmless.
Add $23
million to the School Facilities board for construction in the Agua Fria and
Chandler districts.
All of the money added to the budget will be
one-time money.
The increase will be covered with cuts to
several areas, including a $9.5 million decrease in the amount the state will
get for roads, a $5.2 million cut in the amount counties and cities will get
for roads, and a $21 million transfer from the Health Insurance Trust Fund.
What our lawless Tea-Publican legislators giveth, they taketh
away from someone else, because the GOP First Commandment is “Thou shalt never raise taxes” (even though the Arizona
Constitution commands that they do so). Source