Tucson Metro Chamber Endorses Proposition 123 Education Funding Proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tucson Metro Chamber Endorses Proposition 123  Education Funding Proposal

Tucson, AZ (December 29, 2015) – The Board of Directors of the Tucson Metro Chamber has voted to support Proposition 123, a measure designed to increase funding to Arizona schools.  If passed by voters, Prop 123 will inject $3.5 billion into our K-12 public schools over the next 10 years without raising taxes.  The measure would also mean an end to the lengthy and contentious lawsuit that has racked up legal bills and has put the health of our entire state budget at risk.

Proposition 123 will increase funding approximately $300 per student per year.  This is a substantial increase.  The source of the added funding is Arizona’s State Land Trust, the value of which has swelled to more than $5 billion, while distributions have remained at a level below the minimum distribution required by law for private charitable trusts.  Prop 123 calls for boosting distributions from the trust in a way that increases spending for K-12 students in school today, while protecting the trust for future generations.

The Tucson Metro Chamber Board of Directors understands that money alone is not the single ingredient to improving education, the funding Prop 123 will provide is very much needed.  The Chamber cannot ignore the fact that sufficient resources absolutely are necessary in order to ensure that all students have access to an education that will set them on the path to success.  Further, the Chamber considers this settlement a necessary first step toward comprehensive education funding reform.  The Tucson Metro Chamber stands ready to help find and fund solutions to Arizona’s educational issues.

As the largest and most influential business organization in Southern Arizona, the Tucson Metro Chamber urges its investors, their employees and our fellow Arizonans to vote YES on Proposition 123.

For questions or further information, contact Robert Medler, vice president of government affairs, at 792-2250 x 129 or rmedler@tucsonchamber.org.