By Evan Wyloge and Jim Small | Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, and Mariana Dale | KJZZ
(Editor’s note:This article is a collaboration between Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting and KJZZ. It is eligible for republication by partner news organizations only with express permission.)
Included in the $10.4 billion budget passed by Arizona lawmakers and signed by Gov. Doug Ducey earlier this month are massive changes to how public schools will be allowed to hire builders for large construction projects, as well as harsh new penalties for malfeasance that occurs during the selection process.
Some in the construction industry, which was not consulted on the changes and fears a return to a system that prioritizes cost above outcomes, say the changes are a legislative overreaction to scandals that have roiled the Scottsdale Unified School District since late 2017.
“My understanding is that what happened in Scottsdale was illegal under existing law and is being investigated and pursued by the attorney general,” said Mark Minter, president of Arizona Builders Alliance. “Perhaps we should have seen how that played out before we tried to change the laws for the entire procurement system.”
