Monday, April 25, 2011
This is my favorite time of the year, when the good, nonpartisan folks at the Arizona Education Network release their Legislative report card to let us know who voted against public education.
This is always especially good to note during election season, when certain politicians tell us they support public education—yet they don't put that into action with their vote.
From their press release today:
Of Arizona's 90 legislators, 59 voted against public education funding 100 percent of the time.
"We encourage Arizona voters to look closely at this list," said Jen Darland, an Arizona Education Network researcher who tracks education legislation. "These are the legislators who are voting to close our schools; cram children into super-sized classrooms; fire teachers, librarians and counselors; deny children access to all-day kindergarten; strip schools of basics like paper, books and pencils and make our universities unaffordable for middle-class students."
Legislators say they had no other option but to cut $454 million from our schools, community colleges and universities - bringing the three-year total in cuts to $1.3 billion. However they had other options, including following the Governor's original budget proposal, which had $116 million less in education cuts.
In addition, legislators could work to close the more than $10 billion in tax loopholes that prevent the state from raising more revenue. By just closing the luxury tax loopholes, which exempt users of luxury services, such as spa treatments, from paying taxes and equalizing the state liquor tax, the state could bring in $438 million more a year.
Adding insult to injury, legislators voted for TABOR (HB 2720), locking in the current recession-level cuts to education, preventing our schools, colleges and universities from rebounding as the economy improves.
For more information on AEN and the Legislative report, visit their website here.
Go to the jump to read the list of state Legislators who voted against education funding 100 percent of the time in 2011.
District 1:
Sen. Steve Pierce
Rep. Karen Fann
Rep. Andy Tobin
District 3:
Sen. Ron Gould
Rep. Doris Goodale
Rep. Nancy McLain
District 4:
Sen. Steve Bundgaard
Rep. Judy Burns
Rep. Jack Harper
District 5:
Sen. Sylvia Allen
Rep. Brenda Barton
Rep. Chester Crandell
District 6:
Sen Lori Klein
Rep. Amanda Reeve
Rep. Carl Seel
District 7:
Sen. Nancy Barto
Rep. Heather Carter
Rep. David Burnell Smith
District 8:
Sen. Michele Reagan
Rep. John Kavanaugh
Rep. Michelle Ugenti
Disrtict 9:
Sen. Rick Murphy
Rep. Rich Gray
Rep. Debbie Lesko
District 10:
Sen. Linda Gray
Rep. Jim Weiers
REp. Kimberly Yee
District 11:
Sen. Adam Driggs
Rep. Kate Brophy McGee
District 12:
Sen. John Nelson
Rep. Steve Montenegro
Rep. Jerry Weiers
District 18:
Sen. Russell Pearce
Rep. Cecil Ash
Rep. Steve Court
District 19:
Sen. Rich Crandall
Rep. Kirk Adams
Rep. Justin Olson
District 20:
Sen. John McComish
Rep. Jeff Dial
Rep. Bob Robson
District 21:
Sen. Steve Yarbrough
Rep. Tom Forese
Rep. Javan Mesnard
District 22:
Sen. Andy Biggs
Rep. Eddie Farnsworth
Rep. Steve Urie
District 23:
Sen. Steve Smith
Rep. Frank Pratt
District 24:
Sen. Don Shooter
District 25:
Sen. Gail Griffin
Rep. Peggy Judd
Rep. David Stevens
District 26:
Sen. Al Melvin
Rep. Terri Proud
Rep. Vic Williams
District 30
Sen. Frank Antenori
Rep. David Gowan
Rep. Ted Vogt
Tags: Arizona Education Network , AEN , education funding , Sen. Al Melvin , Rep. Terri Proud , Rep. Vic Williams , Sen. Frank Antenori , Rep. David Gowan , Rep. Ted Vogt