Casa Grande Dispatch
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and state Sen. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, have crafted a $30 million plan to add about 300 school resource officers to Arizona schools.
According to a press release issued by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Babeu and Crandall worked with National Association of School Resource Officers President Kevin Quinn on a plan to add more school officers, expand school counseling
improve programs and assessment efforts to better identify threats in advance.
The release states the clean elections reform, which is the preferred revenue avenue, would provide the funding needed to push the program forward. A referral is a measure placed on an election ballot by state lawmakers. The Legislature must refer to voters all changes to programs previously approved by voters or changes to the state Constitution.
Because the “general fund may be eliminated,” a permanent funding source for the program is needed, Babeu said.
“Our proposal works,” Crandall stated. “Other plans raid the general fund . . .”
The men say most of the $30 million can come from redirect- ing excess clean elections funds through a ballot referral.
