PHOENIX— House Democratic Leader Reginald Bolding released the following statement on today's court ruling that killed the Proposition 208 Invest in Ed Act, a voter-approved measure to increase Arizona public education funding and teacher pay.
"Arizona voters spoke loud and clear when they said they want significantly more investment in our chronically underfunded public schools. Today's ruling is obviously a setback for the overwhelming number of parents who choose public schools. Running to the courts to overrule the majority of voters on a disputed legal technicality should be nothing to celebrate. But the hostility that Arizona's governor and the anti-public education right wing have shown for public school families, students and educators has been relentless, and is on full display in the current legislative session. This lawsuit is just another example. The fact remains that because of a strong national economy, we currently are generating enough ongoing revenue to pull Arizona's public schools out of the national funding basement, but only if our Republican colleagues can pause their culture war political agenda and focus on what Arizonans have repeatedly told them they want."
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