The folks commenting on "merit" increases are forgetting that in 08, faced with the recession, the Legislature cut millions from education. These cuts have not been restored. Instead the current Gov. and Legislature continue to cut taxes, mostly for corporations and the wealthy, and increase "tax credits" both of which reduce revenue and continue the perennial fiscal crisis that we face. We need to increase taxes, probably income and corporate, possibly property, and we need to cease all "tax credits". We simply need the revenue.
Even without 1089 it is doubtful in this bright red and gerrymandered state would ever vote to increase taxes. Ducey has vowed to cut taxes every year and he has kept that promise. Most of the Repubs have signed on to the Grover Norquist pledge never to increase taxes. The only way to increase revenue that I see is a voter referendum. That might work but what taxes? Our sales tax is already one of the highest in the nation at a statewide average of 9.2%. So property, personal income or corporate taxes are the only ones left. Could this be done? Who knows?
Thank you David for this concise, well written background on how we got where we are. A couple of additional thoughts might be considered:
1. We already have school choice here in Arizona, we pioneered it and, for better or worse, it's here to stay. But should it be at the expense of our community run public schools?
2. The Koch's are in it for the long game. They have shown time and again both their patience and their fortitude, so this battle that we are in over school privatization isn't going to be over soon. Prepare for a long war.
3. This whole move toward vouchers was promoted by Milton Friedman; judging only from his quotes, he was anti-government and quite libertarian in his philosophy. Is this really where we want to go?
4. The purpose of a business is to generate profit, do we really want to turn our kid education over to profiteers who will put profit ahead of our children and our future? How are private prisons working out?
I just finished evaluating County teachers requests for $500 classroom mini-grants funded by a local foundation. I was shocked at what many were asking for. Chairs, Chrome books, books, paper and classroom supplies all of which should be funded by our schools. Those who say "money is not the problem" has their heads somewhere dark. Money is the problem since the legislature took school money back in 08 and used it to fund other stuff including tax cuts.
Lack of education funding is at the root of Arizona's school funding crisis. Make no mistake!
While I agree with most of the points made, Hank glosses over some of the key issues. Our elected leadership has deliberately, irresponsibly, and unsustainably cut taxes every year since 1992. This has led us to an annual fiscal crisis. Our legislature lacking the guts to do the obvious have resorted to gimmicks, fund raids and other "tricks" to make things look nice. It is a sham and needs to be called out.
With regard to his notion that we should consider bed, tourist and related tax increases to fund our schools, I would suggest that it is our job and our responsibility to educate our kids. Tourists and so forth can be part of the solution but the root cause of the issue is that we have been unwilling to tax ourselves appropriately to educate our kids.
Two thoughts in passing, Public education is a constitutional responsibility; by continuing this fiscal madness of annual tax cuts we are giving our kids a huge debt without the resources to meet it.
Bottom line: we need to raise taxes, we need to do it now, we need to raise income and property taxes (they are among the lowest in the nation) and, yes Hank, we need to make sure the legislature can't sweep them.
You touch on it, David, but the issue deserves more emphasis. Every time we bring up school funding, someone walks out Prop 301 and calls for a sales tax increase. Arizona already has one of the high sales tax rates in the nation, in fact, 11th from the top. We have the lowest property and income taxes, 5th and 6th from the bottom. Ducey and his predecessors claimed lowering income taxes would drive the economy, it has not. So, yes we need more money in education, but we need to raise revenue, an increase in income tax makes more sense that again increasing the sales tax.
If and when this thing gets on the ballot, expect millions of dollars from the pro-voucher movement to pour into the State to defeat it. That said, I hope the people prevail!
Recent Comments
1. We already have school choice here in Arizona, we pioneered it and, for better or worse, it's here to stay. But should it be at the expense of our community run public schools?
2. The Koch's are in it for the long game. They have shown time and again both their patience and their fortitude, so this battle that we are in over school privatization isn't going to be over soon. Prepare for a long war.
3. This whole move toward vouchers was promoted by Milton Friedman; judging only from his quotes, he was anti-government and quite libertarian in his philosophy. Is this really where we want to go?
4. The purpose of a business is to generate profit, do we really want to turn our kid education over to profiteers who will put profit ahead of our children and our future? How are private prisons working out?
Lack of education funding is at the root of Arizona's school funding crisis. Make no mistake!
With regard to his notion that we should consider bed, tourist and related tax increases to fund our schools, I would suggest that it is our job and our responsibility to educate our kids. Tourists and so forth can be part of the solution but the root cause of the issue is that we have been unwilling to tax ourselves appropriately to educate our kids.
Two thoughts in passing, Public education is a constitutional responsibility; by continuing this fiscal madness of annual tax cuts we are giving our kids a huge debt without the resources to meet it.
Bottom line: we need to raise taxes, we need to do it now, we need to raise income and property taxes (they are among the lowest in the nation) and, yes Hank, we need to make sure the legislature can't sweep them.