Lawmakers have authorized school districts to exceed Constitutional spending limits.
Since schools have received substantial funding increases during the last several years, without this authorization, schools would have to return the money to the state, a Senate statement said.
“We often get criticized for under-funding education, when the truth is we are providing more support than ever before,” Senate Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor said in a statement released after his colleagues unanimously approved HCR2008.
This method of circumventing expenditure limits is authorized by Article IX, Section 21, subsection (3) of the Arizona Constitution.
“The priority is making sure our schools are getting what they need to educate our children,” he said.
The resolution, in fact, replaced an identical Senate measure, SCR1022. The House resolution was sent to the secretary of state with a 30-0 vote.
The Arizona Constitution limits the amount of money school districts can spend. It requires the Economic Estimates Commission to establish an aggregate expenditure limitation.
For the fiscal year 2006-2007, the commission placed this limit at $4.97 billion. The Arizona Department of Education said the aggregate budgeted expenditure for school districts is $4.98 billion, some $8 million over the Constitutional limit, according to House research.
“In the last several years, the Legislature has substantially increased the state’s investment in education. This resolution is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to improving education,” said House Majority Leader Tom Boone.
Under the law, the Legislature may authorize a one-year exemption for local revenue expenditures above the limit. If not, the State Board of Education must instruct each school district to reduce its spending.