Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/279010
8 Summer 2014 x AEA Advocate AT THE CAPITOL to pass the onerous provisions of HB2305 next year or in separate bills this session. After all, HB2305 was originally passed in the dead of night, the last day of session, by party-line vote last year. We have received no guarantees from state leaders that they will not attempt to re-pass HB2305 now that it has been repealed. Many AEA members joined protesters down at the capitol when the Legislature was repealing the law in order to meet with Senate President Andy Biggs and Speaker of the House Andy Tobin and ask them to sign a pledge that they would respect the will of the voters and not pass any bills including provisions from HB2305. Neither legislator would meet with the citizens gathered outside their offices. The repeal of HB2305 may be a tenuous victory, but it is a victory nonetheless. The Protect Your Right to Vote campaign gathered an unprecedented 146,000 signatures. The will of the people was heard and action was taken. If our distrust in our legislators is unfounded, then we can celebrate the protection of voters' rights once again thanks to the work of AEA members and a coalition of citizens from around the state. If not, then we already know we have what it takes to win this fight again. 2 Voters' Rights Restored, cont. from page 7 Since 2008, the Arizona Legislature and Governor Brewer have systematically reduced, or in some cases like full-day kindergarten, eliminated, funding from many of the formulas that make up the K-12 budget. This action has resulted in the state owing over $1 billion in funding to Arizona public schools for the past seven legislative sessions. The economic recession is a big factor in the first of the massive education cuts. However, now that the state's economy is recovering, policymakers are not restoring the funding cuts, but are instead attempting to make the current funding levels permanent while at the same time raising expectations. Governor Brewer released her budget proposal in January, which included resetting the District Additional Assistance formula (soft capital and capital outlay funding) to last year's budget level. This would effectively wipe from the ledger the money the state owes school districts and permanently short our schools nearly $240 million annually. Voucher Bills HB2036, sponsored by Representative Livingston, expands the class of students who are eligible for a private school voucher from the state's so-called "Empowerment Scholarship Account" (ESA) to those with parents who are police, Continued on page 32 Education Funding Legislation Summer.14advo.indd 8 3/14/14 2:58 PM