If there was ever any question whether Doug Ducey will be a more conservative governor than our conservative Governor Brewer if he’s elected, those questions have once again been put to rest. Brewer made it clear she thinks the state should pay the schools the $317 million they’re owed. Ducey has said over and over that he wants to fight the voter-mandated payment to schools in the courts. After all, he says, money doesn’t buy better education, so why not be 48th, or lower, in the amount we spend per student? Balance the budget on the backs of our children? Works for Ducey.

Conservative though Brewer may be, the legislature is well to her right, and Ducey is right there with the lege. Expect that the rare-but-important sensible measures Brewer has taken over the years won’t be happening if Ducey is elected. More likely he’ll work with his fellow far right wingers in the legislature to reverse whatever good Brewer has done when she’s taken a few steps away from the wingnuts.

Of course, we could always elect Fred DuVal for governor, who would create a firewall against the crazies in the legislature, like Napolitano did — and the crazies weren’t as crazy back then. That’s always a possibility, especially if more people understand what they’ll get if Ducey is our next governor.

This article appears in Oct 2-8, 2014.

13 replies on “Brewer Cuts The Legs Out From Under The “No More Money For Schools” Crowd”

  1. Well of course Governor Brewer is viewed by the right wing Illiterati as a RINO – or worse, a traitor to their values. One of their key values: to fight to the death hopeless causes in the highest court available – regardless of the costs to Arizona’s taxpayers. The $317M will be paid to the schools and if they persist, it is possible even more will be awarded by the Supremes.

    This is not the first time our governor has rapped the knuckleheads knuckles, it’s a shame she cannot run again.

  2. Do we have to wait until all the money is gone to talk about results? You would win far more support by improving your product.

    Just ask Jack in the Box.

  4. But the U.S. spends more per pupil (even weighted in terms of % GDP) than the vast majority of countries and yet gets less (in terms of test scores) for that spending. The answer from Democrats is always more money and, sometimes, more time in school (more days/full day kindergarten). The approach from Republicans is always less money and more privatization. I’m of the opinion that neither party’s approach would significantly improve education, but the Republican approach has the charm of not costing anything.

    You can source the data on spending all over. But here’s one link: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-education-s…

  6. I do find it informative that Ducey is willing to ignore the will of the people and opposes funding schools with the money that the voters of Arizona voted for.

  7. Well this DuVal guy doesn’t impress me; he’s a crook and won’t help the people of Arizona. All these politicians say the same crap and never how they will actually do things once in office. Their all there for their own interest, not the peoples.

  8. With all of the billions spent on education and the kids are coming out dumber than ever. $ doesn’t solve the problem. The teacher’s union has made the teachers less caring about the youth in their care and more about their well being. Get rid of the union and get a better product.

  10. Let me say it one more time:

    If you folks would quit wasting your time and effort attacking the messenger maybe, just maybe you could grasp the reality of what the legislature has done to try to help you and children.

    Here we go:

    Waste at the Admin level and test scores both went the wrong direction at about the same time. AZ legislators decided to cut funding in hopes admin would do a better job with less. They also hoped that parents, teachers and supporters would TAKE BACK THEIR SCHOOLS and throw the bums out.

    You did just the opposite. You blamed all the problems on lack of money. You never seem to use results to analyze success or failure.

    So their next step was to offer charter schools and tax credits so you could have a choice and get your kids out of failing schools. Forget your old argument about low income area schools not getting equal tax dollars. You could take your kids to any school that you like.

    But once again, you stayed and complained about the money.

    It borders on child abuse. Are you guilty of it?

    This may make it easier to see how you are part of the problem. Work to place a school board in power that fixes the problems, rather than one that causes more. These are your schools.

    Why don’t you act like it?

  11. But if Duvall does win and uses the $317M for education, where does he get it from? The rainy-day fund has only $400+M. The budget is already in deficit this year, and far larger forecast for next year. Where do we cut now: highways? child protective services? pensions? The failure of most people running for office is that they don’t face the downsides of every upside. And the voters don’t pay attention to the guy in the corner.

  12. Mr. T, please keep your comments fresh. Don’t copy/paste what you wrote earlier. Based on your output, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a new way to say the same old thing.

  13. Until Arizona improves it’s woefully under funded public schools the state will never attract quality businesses. Republicans wish to destroy public education. Public schools are the great equalizer that should and could offer all children the best of a future. A good education is a ticket to success and must be protected as a right not a privilege of the wealthy in private schools. Fred DuVal would do well as our governor in putting education first. Doug Ducey is a Koch brother funded puppet. Really? Taking money from our children’s education? This is an admirable trait in a tax payer funded job?

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