February 14, 2022

Updated: 200+ Business & Community Leaders Ask Legislature to Address the Aggregate Expenditure Limit

More than 200 business and community leaders across the state asked the legislature to allow K-12 schools to exceed the Aggregate Expenditure Limit this school year.

These leaders acknowledged that their success and the success of the economy depends on the strength of Arizona’s education system. They also know that any disruptions to school could have a serious impact on their workforce both in the short- and long-term.

Read the full letter below that was sent to the legislature on February 14, 2022.

You can help too by taking action. Click here to email your legislators today!

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Letter to Arizona House of Representatives & Members of the Arizona State Senate

Feb. 14, 2022

Dear Mrs. Fann, Mr. Bowers, Mrs. Rios and Mr. Bolding:

As business and community leaders, we value our education system as both a pipeline for our future workforce and as essential to our employees with children today. We are writing to ask for your support to allow K-12 schools to exceed the aggregate expenditure limit this year.

When our schools aren’t open, our students can’t learn and our employees can’t come to work.

The state has done so much to ensure the economy has stayed strong during the pandemic; however, if schools go to a shorter school week or close for the rest of the school year the burden will be felt by businesses across the state who are already struggling to find and keep employees.

We respectfully ask for your leadership in addressing the aggregate expenditure limit and allow schools to exceed the limit this year. This action must take place prior to March 1^st or schools will face a 16% cut to this school year’s budgets.

The funding in question has already been appropriated to schools by the legislature; they just need your approval to spend it.

Additionally, the JLBC has made it clear that there’s no funding from Prop 208 included in school funding this school year. This means that action on the AEL can happen prior to the superior court offering their ruling.

This issue will also need a long-term solution as it is anticipated that schools will exceed the AEL next year as well. Your leadership will also be needed to develop a long-term solution once this year’s AEL is addressed.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

The undersigned 200+ statewide business and community leaders:

Businesses & Organizations

Individuals:

Updated: 2/22/22 at 11:00 a.m.