Tuesday, March 31, 2009

In the News Today: First Things First Sues the State

Here is the text from an article that came out on azcentral today, the link is below.

Educational group sues to recover $7 mil
by Matthew Benson - Mar. 31, 2009 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic

The First Things First early-childhood-education board filed a lawsuit Monday to block the state from taking $7 million from a fund created by Arizona voters three years ago.The special-action suit was filed in state Supreme Court and names as defendants Gov. Jan Brewer, state Treasurer Dean Martin and state Comptroller D. Clark Partridge. The suit comes a couple of months after state officials, as part of a $1.6 billion budget fix for fiscal 2009, moved $7 million in interest accruing from a First Things First account into the state general fund.Arizona voters in 2006 agreed to hike tobacco taxes as part of Proposition 203, which set aside the revenue for children's education and health programs. As with other voter-approved initiatives, the lawsuit argues that the funding is off-limits to cuts unless the Legislature can muster a three-quarters vote of the House and Senate and show that its action would further the intent of the initiative.This is at least the fifth lawsuit involving the 2009 budget.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/03/31/20090331politics-lawsuit0331.html

My thoughts? I am still trying to figure out how on earth the legislature thinks it is okay to try to take funds intended and directed by the state's voters for the education of children. I just don't get it, I know this is the west, but the wild west days of doing whatever you want regardless of the rules should be over by now.Funny, they sure can find money to go to court and try to defend themselves, I haven't heard of them cutting funds for their legal expenses. I'll try to find more info on the other lawsuits listed and post it as well.

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