GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on a lawsuit filed by schools against the Legislature over capital funding shortfalls (all times local):
1:30 p.m.
A group of school districts and associations representing school interests have sued the state of Arizona for what they say is unconstitutionally low funding for building maintenance and other capital projects.
The lawsuit announced at an elementary school in Glendale Monday seeks a court order that the current state funding scheme violates the state Constitution. The districts say the current funding illegally shifts the responsibility for maintaining schools from the state to local taxpayers.
Attorney Tim Hogan says the state is ignoring rulings from the state Supreme Court to provide adequate funding for buildings and other expenses like textbooks.
Gov. Doug Ducey declined immediate comment on the lawsuit but says his proposed budget adds spending for schools.
8:45 a.m.
Schools districts that say the Arizona Legislature has shorted them billions of dollars in required capital project funding over the past decade are set to lay out details of a new lawsuit.
The districts and the associations representing school boards, teachers, administrators and business officials plan a late-morning news conference in Glendale on Monday.
The state is required to provide cash for new schools, major maintenance and things like textbooks. The Legislature began cutting that spending during the Great Recession, and it hasn’t been fully restored.
Schools say they’ve been shorted about $2 billion.
The lawsuit comes nearly a year after voters approved a plan to settle another multi-billion school funding lawsuit by tapping the state’s land trust. Proposition 123 adds $3.5 billion in spending over 10 years.
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