Executive Budget Proposal Spends Big on (Literal) Schools
Governor Hobbs released her first executive budget proposal this afternoon, and as promised it contains a sizeable number to pay for new school facilities and maintain and improve existing district schools.
The Hobbs budget propses to spend a total of $349.9M on building renewal grants, which is exactly $150M more than the FY23 budget provided.
In addition, it calls for an additional $198.6M to the base level above the require $107.9M required for inflation.
Hobbs also proposed to add $10.9M to District Additional Assistance this year and provide for an annual inflation increase similar to that required for the base level.
Proposal Takes Aim At Key GOP Priorities
Hobbs’ budget aims to pay for a sizeable chunk of her base level increase by taking aim at two of Gov. Ducey’s prized accomplishments—results-based funding and universal ESA expansion. The governor calls for rolling back the ESA program to pre-2022 status while allowing anyone currently on the program to continue, which would net a projected savings of $144M this year. Her budget also proposes the repeal of results-based funding, which was enacted and expanded under Gov. Ducey, and using the $68M+ in savings to help fund her other education priorities.
According to the governor’s office, using funding from these two programs to fund other education priorities represents an effort to create an education funding system that serves all Arizona students, not just those fortunate enough to attend certain high-performing schools.
A complete summary of the executive budget proposal prepared by ASBA staff can be found here.
Editor’s Note: The Legislature will not be in session on Monday due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.