by David Safier
The Republicans at the state lege decided not to boost its budget for schools to account for inflation. That's been going on since 2010. The court said that's illegal and ordered the lege to add $82 million to this year's budget — still far below the approximately $200 million needed to make up the missing inflation funds. So did the GOP just hand over the $82 million as if they were doing someone a favor, then snicker to each other, "Suckers! We still screwed you out of $120 million."?
Nope. They whined, they moaned, they said it's not fair they have to give schools that $82 million. Then they went to court to fight the ruling.
Today, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the state has to pay up — only the $82 million, mind you, but they have to pay up. Think the GOP will shrug their shoulders and let this one go? Maybe, but that's not their style. They're just as likely to keep whining, moaning and fighting. [Case in point: the neverending Redistricting Commission battles]
I remember the first year that they cut education funding, they gave out 535 million dollars in tax breaks to corporations. These guys have an ideological aversion to public education, and sometimes (in the case of Steve Yarbrough), a personal and financial motivation to divert funding to charters and vouchers. The situation will not change unless and until the voters see through the schemes.