Page 8 - AASBO EDGE 2020 WINTER

BY DON HARRIS

Arizona Capitol Times’ Honors Chuck Essigs as a

Leader of the Year
Chuck Essigs

Chuck Essigs has a well-earned reputation as the “go-to- the things I’ve learned over the years is, to be successful you
guy” when it comes to questions about state budgets and need to be truthful.”
public education funding.
If legislation is going to give schools more money than they
Essigs, AASBO Director of Government Relations, gained should for a particular activity, Essigs feels compelled to be
recognition of that role when Arizona Capitol Times candid with lawmakers and staff who ask about it. “If there is
awarded him its Leader of the Year honor in the category of something in a bill that is going to make them look bad, that
Associations. they’re going to get a lot of criticism for, I will tell them,”
Essigs said. “Maybe there is something that’s not workable
Asked what the award meant to him, Essigs, always low or doesn’t make sense. The last thing you want to do, if they
key and unassuming, said, “Seriously, it’s really an award ask you what the impact is, is not be truthful – and they end
for AASBO as much as it is for myself. What I’m being up looking bad or being criticized.”
honored for is what AASBO wants me to do – to basically
keep schools informed about laws and state regulations Essigs said he always feels good when – after making a
and what schools need to do to continue to operate and be presentation or just explaining something to one person –
successful. It’s nice to be honored for something that you’re they say they learned something new.
doing because that’s your job.”
Essigs’ biggest disappointment? “Over all these years, instead
What’s it like to be considered the go-to-guy for public of moving closer to getting adequate funding for schools, the
education budgets? “Sometimes I tell people it’s like being gap has gotten wider,” he said. “People are realizing that to
the captain of the Titanic, especially when you think of all have successful elementary and high schools in Arizona you
the issues, the problems in education,” Essigs said. “But need to increase the level of funding. Going back to ‘80s, to
seriously, it makes you feel good. I’ve worked – of all people today, we are having less adequate funding than more.”
currently in the state working on school fi nance issues –
more years than just about anybody else.” Looking ahead, Essigs said, “We need to be moving closer
to having adequate funding for our schools. I’m optimistic.
Essigs said state legislators from both parties ask him about Among legislators, I think that is getting to be a common
education budget bills, but most of the questions come from message. The biggest thing is that the business community
staffers. “One of the things I’ve enjoyed over the years is in Arizona now recognizes that adequate school funding is
working with staff as much as working with legislators,” he necessary if we want to compete with rest of the country.”
said. “I get questions on a piece of legislation or the impact
more often from staff, which is good. The staff person has
the skills and knowledge to give to legislators. The staff
person knows now to explain it to legislators. The more they “One of the things I’ve enjoyed
understand it, the better off you are. The staff person can
explain it to several legislators at a meeting.” over the years is working with
staff as much as working with
Essigs said it’s nice to be able to work with people from both
sides of the aisle. “One thing I feel good about is that I’ve legislators”
been able to work with Democrats and Republicans and have
both of them trust the answers,” he said. “In many cases,
they want to know what the impact of a bill will be. One of

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8 THE EDGE WINTER 2020