NEWS

Ducey to reveal ballot proposal for school funding

Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, and Mary Jo Pitzl
Gov. Doug Ducey, who made his political name partly by fighting tax increases for education at the ballot box three years ago, held meetings Wednesday with key education supporters to reveal his support for a 2016 statewide ballot proposal that would provide more cash for Arizona K-12 schools.
  • Ducey touts education-funding measure that draws from the state land trust to K-12 supporters
  • Details to come at a Thursday news conference
  • The GOP governor has faced mounting criticism for his resistance to raising taxes for K-12

Gov. Doug Ducey, who made his political name partly by fighting tax increases for education at the ballot box three years ago, held meetings Wednesday with key education supporters to reveal his support for a 2016 statewide ballot proposal that would provide more cash for Arizona K-12 schools.

Those familiar with Ducey's plan said he will ask the state Legislature to put a measure on the ballot that would direct new money from the state-land trust to classrooms, but would not raise taxes. In 2012, Ducey led a campaign that defeated a 1-cent sales-tax increase to fund education. More recently, he has warned business executives to not attempt an education tax hike.

The Republican governor discussed the idea with education-advocacy groups, public-school superintendents and state schools superintendent Diane Douglas, who has been critical of his education policies. The meeting came as he faced mounting criticism over his education-funding policies and aperception that he favors private schools and charters over district schools. It also came as closed-door talks continued over a potential settlement in a long-running school-funding lawsuit.

Ducey's forthcoming funding plan would build on a previous ballot proposal that Ducey, as state treasurer, successfully promoted in 2012.That plan increased the money coming from the state-land trust proceeds to schools to a steady 2.5 percent a year, which has equaled $80 million annually. The governor's proposal would increase that to 10 percent each year for the next five years, generating about $1.8 billion in new money.

For the following five years, the 10 percent earmark would drop to 5 percent and then expire at the end of 2026.

The Governor's Office is expected to hold a Thursday news conference to announce details of the plan. Daniel Scarpinato, Ducey's spokesman, declined to elaborate on the proposal, other than to say the governor's meetings on Wednesday involved future K-12 funding.

Sally Stewart, a spokeswoman for Douglas, declined to talk about Ducey's conversation with the superintendent, other than to say, "It was a very constructive conversation."

Kent Paredes Scribner is the superintendent of the Phoenix Union High School District. As he was leaving the Executive Tower, he told The Arizona Republic that Ducey spoke with supporters about "an education-funding initiative." Others clarified that the plan would be referred to the ballot legislatively.

"It was a very productive, positive conversation. We'll see what the governor announces tomorrow," Scribner said, adding Ducey's tone was "very measured and optimistic."

Scribner said the governor told the group that "we should be looking for a bold, education-finance announcement tomorrow afternoon. I think that his perspective is to solve budget-deficit problems his first year and now look at new revenues."

Ducey's meetings came as the U.S. Census Bureau released a report this week based on 2013 data that said only two other states spent less per student than Arizona.

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