Bill Text: AZ HCM2010 | 2014 | Fifty-first Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Impact aid; full funding
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-12 - Referred to House ED Committee [HCM2010 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2014-HCM2010-Introduced.html
REFERENCE TITLE: impact aid; full funding |
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-first Legislature Second Regular Session 2014
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HCM 2010 |
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Introduced by Representatives Miranda, Escamilla, Gabaldón, Gonzales, Hale, Steele: Fann, McCune Davis, Mitchell, Pierce J, Pratt, Saldate, Shope, Smith
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A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL
urging the united states congress to fully fund the impact aid program.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
To the Congress of the United States of America:
Your memorialist respectfully represents:
Whereas, in 1950, President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 81-874, which enacted the Impact Aid Program into law; and
Whereas, Impact Aid, the nation's oldest elementary-secondary education program, is designed to reimburse local educational agencies for the loss of traditional revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property or federal activities; and
Whereas, property owners in affected local areas already bear a significant burden in financial support of local educational agencies due to federal acquisition of private lands; and
Whereas, the Impact Aid Program provides direct reimbursement to local educational agencies for Indian lands, military bases, low-rent housing and other federal property to make up lost tax revenues due to the nontaxable federal ownership status and to assist with the basic educational needs of the students and schools; and
Whereas, Impact Aid funding is of critical importance to the seventy‑nine school districts and charter schools in Arizona, which is the highest recipient state of Impact Aid funding on behalf of the 42,889 federally connected students educated in local public school districts with a total enrollment of 242,624; and
Whereas, the Budget Control Act of 2011 established sequestration to cut $1.2 trillion from the federal budget due to the failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to reach a broader compromise; and
Whereas, as the only current-year funded education program, Impact Aid was cut immediately in the middle of the 2012-2013 school year by $67.5 million, and the funding cut to Arizona alone was $11,051,571; and
Whereas, in response to these funding cuts, Impact Aid recipient school districts have been forced to reduce transportation spending, delay maintenance and technology upgrades, cut spending for staff and professional development as well as early childhood and enrichment programs and, in some cases, close schools; and
Whereas, any additional cuts to Impact Aid in fiscal year 2014 would have a detrimental impact on this state's local public school districts.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the United States Congress enact legislation to ensure that children receive a high quality public education by fully funding the Impact Aid Program in order to alleviate the local taxpayer burden caused by federal land ownership.
2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.