Arizona House passes measure to lift school spending cap
Download mp3 (8.28 MB)With just weeks to go, state House lawmakers agreed Tuesday to allow school districts across Arizona to spend the money they already have.
The 46-14 vote came over the objections of some Republicans who questioned how schools are spending money now.
“This is not a funding issue for some districts,” said Rep. Rachel Jones (R-Tucson). “It’s a mismanagement issue.”
Jones did not dispute that the measure authorizes schools to use the nearly $1.4 billion that was appropriated to them last legislative session. But she told colleagues that means nothing to her.
“I wasn’t part of the Legislature last year who promised that money,” Jones said, saying she’s “not comfortable” with that decision.
That logic drew a rebuke from Rep. David Cook (R-Globe), who has championed Tuesday’s vote.
“We all took an oath at the beginning of this session to uphold the constitution,” he said. And Cook said approving a budget is “the No. 1 constitutional duty” of the Legislature.
“This money was in that budget,” he said.
Tuesday’s vote is not the last word.
The Senate now needs to approve the same language before the March 1 deadline. But legislative leaders there have said they are confident there are the necessary 20 votes — two thirds of the chamber — for final approval.
