By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services
Two Republican lawmakers want voters to approve a plan to boost teacher salaries in Arizona by about $4,000 a year.
And they are doing it in a way that would not raise taxes.
The proposal by Sen. J.D. Mesnard and Rep. Matt Gress is built on the idea of extending Proposition 123. That 2015 ballot measure generated about $3.5 billion for education over the decade by tapping into the earnings of the state land trust fund.
That measure expires later this year. And lawmakers, in anticipation, already have set aside state tax dollars to make up for the soon-to-be-lost revenues.
But what that does, said Mesnard, is create an opportunity to extend the current trust fund withdrawals for another decade. And that he said, will provide enough to raise teacher salaries in Arizona above the national average.
Gov. Katie Hobbs has her own plan for extending Prop 123.
The governor, however, wants to take even more money out of the trust. And she wants to spread the wealth around for not just teacher salaries but also support staff, general school funding and cash for school capital and safety improvement.
