Arizona school officials worried about voter confusion after $3.5B funding deal
Nov 2, 2015, 6:06 PM | Updated: 6:32 pm
PHOENIX — Arizona school officials are concerned a recent $3.5 billion funding deal could discourage voters from approving bond or budget overrides in Tuesday’s election.
Many citizens tuned in last Friday when Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a package of bills that will give $3.5 billion to K-12 public education over the next 10 years. School officials are concerned that voters will vote down bonds or budget overrides due to the publicity of the deal.
Heidi Vega with the Arizona School Boards Association said the funding signed by Ducey will only cover inflation and will not replace “local funding mechanisms” such as bonds and budget overrides.
“This is an acknowledgement,” she said. “The fact is we need to move forward as a state in funding public education in all, but the bonds and overrides, those are requirements and needs of school districts and those monies are separated.”
Vega said funding received from bonds and budget overrides would go toward developing buildings or capital needs for teacher shortages.
The funding proposal signed by Ducey also settled a 5-year-old lawsuit brought by schools over skipped inflation payments required by the Arizona Constitution.
KTAR News’ Brian Rackham and Jessica Suerth contributed to this report.
