Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/83243
THIS IS AEA Ultimately, the state's first school equalization law was passed in the legislature's third special session in 1965. AEA played a leading role in its enactment, cooperating with education and parent groups after a petition drive gathering over 88,000 signatures the year before. This show of public support was enough to push the legislature to pass the legislation. Another area of education funding AEA has fought hard to protect are our state trust lands. These lands are held in trust by the state for the benefit of our schools. This means that proceeds from the sale or leasing of these lands would go towards education funding. AEA has fought to protect the value of these lands for the benefit of public education. AEA won a lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1989 to protect state trust lands' true value by challenging a state law that restricted royalties for the sale of minerals from state school trust lands to far below market value. This was a significant victory for Arizona's public schools. In addition, recently AEA won a lawsuit challenging legislation that allowed 10 percent of state trust land proceeds to be used for administrative costs of running the State Land Department. AEA backed Prop 301 in 2000, the "The Classroom Site Fund." It passed and is still in force today. It provides classroom teachers with some sales tax funds tied to specific job and performance criteria. Arizona's over-reliance on sales revenue based on seemingly endless population growth and construction came to a screeching halt with the Great Recession of 2007-2010. Arizona's severe budget deficit and resulting draconian budget cuts to education were the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s. To help stop the bleeding of billions in cuts to education, AEA was one of the key groups to back Prop 100 in 2010, a temporary, 3-year penny sales tax increase to raise $3 billion for education and public safety. Now AEA is moving forward with another initiative to provide a stable funding source that the legislature cannot cut. Prop 204 will extend the sales tax of Prop 100 and make it permanent. This initiative will invest in Arizona's schools, our students, and our future. Go to page 8 for more information on this initiative. As you have read, AEA has had many victories and setbacks along the path to establishing secure, adequate, and equitable funding for our schools. All of this is done through the work of AEA members' time, commitment, and dues money, and despite setbacks, AEA and our members have continued to stay true to our mission – Keeping the Promise of Quality Public Education! ✒ AEA Advocate ❘ Fall 2012 17