Pinal Partnership February Breakfast: Educational improvement, funding issues dominates debate at legislators forum

by James J. Hodl | Southeast Valley Ledger

pinal partnership

A packed house at February’s Pinal Partnership breakfast

A lively debate on the future of education in Arizona broke out among six members of the state legislature during a Pinal Partnership breakfast forum staged Feb. 20 at The Property Conference Center in Casa Grande.

Although all but one legislator in attendance said the most important issue facing Arizona was the state budget deficit, the elected lawmakers spent the most time offering solutions toward providing better education to students statewide. The two senators and four representatives who participated on a panel at the breakfast were from districts representing substantial portions of Pinal County and parts of Maricopa and Gila counties.

Sen. Barbara McGuire (District 8) started the debate by decrying the big hit toward educational funding in Gov. Doug Ducey’s proposed state budget.

“The proposed 40 percent cut in funding for state universities – on top of earlier cuts – will especially hurt Arizona State University, which to avoid passing more costs onto in-state students will have to recruit many more out-of-state students paying higher tuitions to fill the budget gap,” McGuire said.

McGuire also denounced politicians inserting themselves into matters that should be determined at the local level.

“We need to consult teachers more in determining what kids learn and the most effective ways to teach them. Too often politics blocks teacher input,” she noted.

Continued: