Arizona's sudden $400 million shortfall (Tucson: homes, neighborhood, private schools)

[Voebe]

I don't think anyone has posted about this yet - that suddenly we're hundreds of millions in the hole, mostly because of the idea of school vouchers even to parents who not only can afford to pay for private school themselves, but have been doing so all long. In other words, a giveaway to people who don't need it.


The Bill for School Voucher Bait-and-Switch Is Coming Due
https://www.thenation.com/article/so...state-budgets/

Arizona School Voucher Enrollment Exceeds Budget Estimate
Voucher critics say the program is on track to blow up the state budget
https://www.the74million.org/article...dget-estimate/

One year in, Arizona’s universal school vouchers are a cautionary tale
https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opini...e-rest-nation/

Arizona lawmakers face big deficit due mostly to massive tax cut and school voucher expansion
https://news.azpm.org/s/97914-arizon...her-expansion/

[TimAZ]

Not a peep here about the University’s $200M+ shortfall either. I guess they occurred “unexpectedly”. Here in Tucson we drive around foot-deep potholes on a daily basis, so there’s probably another budget shoe to drop soon.

[Sno0909]

I don't understand how the school voucher program is causing issues. If the voucher program didn't exist, and all of these kids were enrolled in public schools, the amount of money involved would be even higher.

[DAXhound]

It is the lack of accountability at the public schools that started the charter school revolution. It does appear that the only way to get rid of corrupt, unaccountable schools is to stop sending students to them. If that constitutes "dismantling public schools," then so be it.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

I don't understand how the school voucher program is causing issues. If the voucher program didn't exist, and all of these kids were enrolled in public schools, the amount of money involved would be even higher.

Because the voucher program is essentially government (state) money. Many parents who send their kids to private schools are using taxpayer funds, and this is where the vouchers come into play. As much as I favor private education over public, I'm against school vouchers because it still amounts to socialized education, and it's a drain on state coffers. Parents should be paying for their own kids' education themselves instead of relying on taxpayers. Otherwise, it's not truly privatized education.

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Because the voucher program is essentially government (state) money. Many parents who send their kids to private schools are using taxpayer funds, and this is where the vouchers come into play. As much as I favor private education over public, I'm against school vouchers because it still amounts to socialized education, and it's a drain on state coffers. Parents should be paying for their own kids' education themselves instead of relying on taxpayers. Otherwise, it's not truly privatized education.

While I am vehemently against big government, I do think they have an important role to play. I believe public education is one of them. Could you imagine that state of our country if everyone had to pay for their children's education? 60% of kids just probably wouldn't go to school. Talk about becoming a third-world country.

And this is coming from a family that homeschools our children.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

While I am vehemently against big government, I do think they have an important role to play. I believe public education is one of them. Could you imagine that state of our country if everyone had to pay for their children's education? 60% of kids just probably wouldn't go to school. Talk about becoming a third-world country.

And this is coming from a family that homeschools our children.

Yes, government has a role, but parents have an even bigger role when it comes to raising & educating their kids. Having children shouldn't be a free ride, but many people seem to think they're entitled to the government subsidizing their chosen lifestyles. Also, more families could afford private education on their own if they cut back on frivolous expenses.

Anyway, this is one big reason why the state has a budget shortfall. Public schools are already an enormous strain on the budget, and enrollment in the voucher program has exceeded budget estimates. Vouchers are really just a GOP version of socialized education, which still equates to taxpayers being on the hook. In addition, property taxes which pay for district schools are a strain on all of us who own property. I really believe the best solution is to have the users of the school system pay the taxes for it, and the rest of us can keep our money.

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Yes, government has a role, but parents have an even bigger role when it comes to raising & educating their kids. Having children shouldn't be a free ride, but many people seem to think they're entitled to the government subsidizing their chosen lifestyles. Also, more families could afford private education on their own if they cut back on frivolous expenses.

Anyway, this is one big reason why the state has a budget shortfall. Public schools are already an enormous strain on the budget, and enrollment in the voucher program has exceeded budget estimates. Vouchers are really just a GOP version of socialized education, which still equates to taxpayers being on the hook. In addition, property taxes which pay for district schools are a strain on all of us who own property. I really believe the best solution is to have the users of the school system pay the taxes for it, and the rest of us can keep our money.

So it's okay if I don't want to pay for public streets in your neighborhood. Or public sewage systems, public water systems, public police...the list is endless.

[Voebe]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

I don't understand how the school voucher program is causing issues. If the voucher program didn't exist, and all of these kids were enrolled in public schools, the amount of money involved would be even higher.

As I understand it, well-to-do parents, who were already paying for their children's private school now get the state to foot the bill.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by phetaroi

So it's okay if I don't want to pay for public streets in your neighborhood. Or public sewage systems, public water systems, public police...the list is endless.

The above mentioned items benefit everybody, but public schools only benefit the K through 12 age group (and of course their parents). Besides, the combination of everything you listed is less costly to taxpayers than education is. Not only does education rank the highest among state expenditures, property owners are required to subsidize it for their districts. This is even considering that Arizona ranks low in the nation for per pupil funding. It's an enormous cost burden, and it's made worse by the fact that public schools in general are mediocre at best. There's very little accountability and tremendous waste in this system.