House Democrats urge Brewer to call education special session
Jul 14, 2014, 2:50 PM | Updated: 3:30 pm
PHOENIX — Arizona House Democrats have asked Gov. Jan Brewer to call a special session immediately to pay the $317 million in inflation funding the state currently owes schools.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper ruled on July 11 that Legislature will need to pay the amount within a year.
Over the next five years, the state will be forced to pay schools $1.6 billion.
House Democrat Whip Eric Meyer said schools have suffered drastic budget cuts over the years, and they can use this money to make repairs to buildings and hire teachers to reduce classroom sizes.
“It’s crucial that we get this money into our classrooms and fulfill our obligations to the voters before the start of the next school year,” he said in a release.
Prop. 301 was approved by voters in 2000, which urged the Legislature to adjust school funding to keep up with inflation, however, schools remained underfunded.
