by David Safier
It's one thing for a Republican to say we had no choice but to make deep cuts in Arizona's education budget. It's a lie, but at least the message is that cutting money for education is not a good thing.
It's another thing entirely for Vic Willams, newly elected Republican rep from my district, LD-26, to say the blunt hatchet Republicans used on education budgets actually improved schools.
In a January 30 interview in the Capitol Times, Willams said:
There are three things I campaigned on: quality
education, illegal immigration and handling our budget crisis. In many ways we
are handling some of our education problems through the budget.
It sounds like Vic has spotlighted one of the problems with Arizona education: too much money. I'll bet he can't wait to bring more quality to our schools with new and better cuts in next year's budget.
Anybody in LD-26 have a quote from campaign-trail Vic about the relationship between money and education we can compare with legislator Vic's statement?
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If you think the cuts are bad, take a look at their effects as they filter up!!
ASU Colleges of Education have been cut back to bare minimum. How teacher education programs are going to be administrated and delivered is confusing at best (and potentially totally discombobulated if non-Tempe campuses end up closing)!
We are losing amazing top education professionals because they don’t want their career ruined by this debacle or their jobs are completely being eliminated in this state!
Programs for creating future teacher educators are being CUT!!! Who will teach the future teachers???
These are cuts that will impact the children of this state for generations!!!
I work for a school district, and have friends in other districts here in the state. The cuts that have been proposed will be an almost death blow for a lot of our public schools. there are a lot of smaller districts that will not be able to survive these cuts. Are our legislators all nuts, or do they just not care about the education of our kids?
I guess it is because they can typically afford to pay for education. Also, they love being able to donate to their schools and get a tax credit for it, so that they rob the schools of even more potential money.
I just made the so called wealthy level after years and years of hard hard work. I am astonished at how much money you can protect here.
I live in LD 26 too, and I save campaign advertising. I have a Vic Williams piece that says:
” Vic Williams will:
…Make a quality public education system a top priority by working to ensure that it is well funded, equipped, and ready to serve the needs of our children.”
But according to a piece sent out by the AZ Democratic Party, Vic said he wanted to take $400 million from schools. The statement is footnoted as a reference from KUAT, LD 26 House GOP Debate, 8/6/08.
Check there for the transcript.
Of course, anyone with any sense knows Republicans hate public education. They only say nice things about education,
when they’re debating a Democrat.
The University of Arizona gave up 5% of its state budget last year…$20 Million. We just got hit with $57 million more. And we are likely to get $40-50 million more next year.
We are cutting majors, cutting staff and faculty, our best and brightest faculty are leaving for other states, and we have to make up the cuts with tuition (which the GOP doesn’t want us to raise either…spineless spineless ones).
How much do we have to price education at before some in this state get it? We cut to bone in 2001…they restored some of the funding through Napolitano, but it didn’t meet inflation. Our faculty are paid 17% less than our peer schools. We are all getting a pay cut next year so it will be worse.
I have lived in some really really red states before. They loved their universities…they saw the correlation between funding K-12 and universities and economic growth.
Where did we get these people?
Mr. Williams, I am in your district and I will do everthing possible to make your next election a miserable one for you.
My children financed 100% of their college education (and worked for living expenses). They have great jobs now and pay A LOT IN TAXES. Nothing wrong with borrowing for education.
Nothing wrong with paying more taxes either. It is a wise investment that will pay off over and over…and over. Amen
Let’s see, Walt. I’ve bought houses to live in without having enough money to pay the entire amount at once. I’ve bought cars without having the money to pay the entire amount at once. I try not to leave a balance on my credit card, but I know people who do run a balance, and I don’t think of them as foolish if it’s kept within reasonable limits. I know people who are paying off loans they ran up to pay for their education. So I’m not sure I interpret “living within your means” exactly the same way you do.
As for taxes, I just don’t know anyone I can tax. Maybe I should charge everyone a dollar who wants to make a comment. Enough with all you freeloaders! Pixels aren’t cheap, you know.
1.9% Education budget reduction are deep cuts? Dave, do you live within your means or do you raise taxes when your checkbook is low? The question is should government live by the same rules, financially, that it’s citizens do?
Its sad to see the extent these people have bought into there own uninformed dogma. They think education in Arizona is bloated with administration and students are actually getting too much money.
Vague-speak??? Someone should ask him “HOW?”
Between this and the so-dubbed “tried-to-rip-off-single-mother/veteran-by-keeping-rent-deposit-and-ignoring-court-orders-to-pay-it-after-failing-to-show-up-in-court-GATE”…
*inhale deeply*
…one is left to wonder why he is being allowed anywhere near the decision making process.