By Howard Fischer | Arizona Capitol Times
The number of measures on the November ballot to curb school vouchers is now down to one.
On Tuesday, Fortify AZ said it was dropping its alternative proposal to the much stricter limits being pushed by the Arizona Education Association and Save Our Schools Arizona.
“Fortify is focused on ensuring that the teachers’ union initiative does not become law,” said spokesman Barrett Marson.
He also pointed out that Fortify AZ was willing to drop its own plan last week when rumors of a deal between House Speaker Steve Montenegro and the education groups went public last Friday. That deal, if made, would have resulted in the AEA dropping its own more far-reaching plan — including a $150,000 limit on parental income to get a $7,500 voucher of state tax dollars to go to private or parochial schools, as well as for home schooling — in exchange for lawmakers approving portions of the initiative on their own.
“Unfortunately, the deal collapsed,” Marson said.
But he said that doesn’t mean Fortify AZ — and the pro-voucher American Federation For Children that has been funding its own less comprehensive initiative — is going to sit on the sidelines in the upcoming election. Marson said it will now attempt to convince voters to kill the remaining plan advanced by educators and their allies.
