Arizona's per pupil education investment more closely resembles nations such as Mexico, Chile and Uganda than it does U.S. states such as New York and Vermont, according to statistics cited by the Goldwater Institute.
Earlier this week, in an e-mail response to the Arizona Economic Council ad Third World, the Goldwater Institute cited international per pupil spending figures compiled by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
What the Goldwater Institute neglected to mention was this: When its own international estimates are compared side-by-side with U.S. figures, the extent of Arizona's schools underfunding is starkly revealed.
The truth is the Governor and Legislature's deep cuts to education put our schools on a dangerous path and undermine Arizona's economic competitiveness. Misplaced priorities have strained our classrooms beyond capacity and put hardworking teachers out of jobs.
Arizona already ranks dead last in the nation in per pupil spending, but Governor Jan Brewer and the State Legislature cut $133 million from K-12 schools in a FY 2009 budget that was signed into law on Jan. 31. As a result of the cuts, thousands of teachers have lost their jobs, and 7,400 Arizona teachers have been told they may not have jobs next year. [Source: National Education Association Ranking and Estimates 2008, Table 5; Capitol Media Services, Jan. 31, 2009; KPHO, April 27, 2009]
State lawmakers place tax giveaways for Wall Street insurance firms before investments in our children and state's future.
Governor Brewer said she would sign legislation to permanently repeal the education equalization tax, which could raise approximately $250 million for Arizona schools for FY 2010. One of the largest beneficiaries of repealing the measure would be a N.Y.-based insurance company. According to The Arizona Republic, "Calculations, based on Maricopa County property assessment records, show the biggest savings in 2006 went to the Phoenician resort and to New York-based Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. in 2007 and 2008. If the tax is repealed, MetLife also would receive the biggest savings, nearly $150,000, for the upcoming tax year." [Source: The Arizona Republic, April 4, 2009]
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