Turning Up the Heat

Vern Lamplot
June 6, 2000


"It's a little bit warm, but today we're going to turn the heat," Gov. Jane D. Hull told about 250 people gathered in the Capitol Mall to support her sales tax increase.

Hull called a special session of the Legislature on June 6 to ask legislators to pass her plan to put a 0.6 percent sales tax increase on November's ballot.

"I'm convinced that we can even wrap this up this week with pressure from people like you, because you're here, you're telling the people in the Legislature that all you want is a chance to vote," she said.

Hull told the group of teachers, parents and kids and university supporters that in 1980, Arizona ranked 34th in per pupil spending, and now it ranks at the bottom. "That should give you pause to see how far we have fallen in the last 15 years," Hull said. "We have to do this. We have to do it now. We have to do this as quickly as possible."

Her remarks brought a loud cheer from the crowd, who were clustered under
patches of tree shade at the east end of the mall.

Phil May, president of the UA Alumni Association, said some legislators were interested only in crisis management of the university system.

"There is a crisis. A crisis that forward-thinking political leaders and statesmen of both parties are recognizing that in this new knowledge-based economy, investment in high technology research is absolutely essential as a catalyst to business creation," said May. He added the crisis only looms larger in the future.

May said that the universities have been given only a fraction of the funds necessary to maintain their buildings, and other states such as Florida, California, Texas and Michigan were doing much more in faculty salaries and new research initiatives.


Other speakers included student leaders, teachers and several legislators from both parties Sens. John , R-Flagstaff; George Cunningham, D-Tucson; and Reps. Tom Horne, R-Phoenix, and Sue Gerard, R-Phoenix, who said they wanted the opportunity to vote on Hull's plan.

Hull, speaking later to a joint session of the Legislature, said that constituents all over the state were putting education at the top of their agendas. She told members that if Arizona was going to compete in the global economy, the state must invest in the education system. The governor's education proposal can be read on her website.


"I don't believe our children can wait," she said.

Hull said the elements of her plan included smaller classrooms, performance-based pay raises for teachers, the ability to track expenses and quality at the school level, and the end of social promotion. She said investment in higher education "is a stumbling block for many of you," but the program would fund "strict new-economy type programs."

She told legislators that the state could afford these reforms because of the success of past legislative reforms. But she warned that past reforms "are meaningless without adequate resources" to the education system.

"I am not asking you to raise taxes," she said. "I am asking you to give the people of Arizona a chance" to decide. She said she was open to other ideas, but any plan legislators approved had to encompass all education. "I want a plan that funds classrooms, community colleges and universities," she said.

Hull received applause at her introduction and at the conclusion of her speech, but members sat quietly during her remarks. There are at least four plans circulating among House and Senate members. Sessions in both houses continue.

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