Page 19 - The Edge - Back to School 2018

Mutual Respect and Trust

Gov. Doug Ducey was introduced at the Summer Conference and Expo on July 19 by Jill Barragan, AASBO’s incoming Pres-
ident.
She recalled that when Ducey took office he inherited a budget deficit in excess of $1 billion and an angry education commu-
nity that had endured more than its fair share of cuts. But she said the relationship evolved into one of mutual respect and trust.

“I’m sure you’d all agree that we were just as skeptical of him and he was of us,” Barragan said. “However, we both stepped
out of our comfort zone and decided that Arizona’s children deserve for its leaders to roll up their sleeves, work together, find
common ground and do all they can to give these children the best opportunity for success, which starts with their education.”

DUCEY TOUTS EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS school board members, superintendents and school business
o cials who met o en and worked late hours in helping to
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 make the plan operational.
• e 20-year extension of Proposition 301, which will “We had to re-do the entire state budget in mid-April and get
provide $667 million to public schools every year until 2041. it over the line,” Ducey said.
• Restoration of $100 million that was taken from school As an aside, Ducey mentioned that several members of his
budgets during the depth of the recession. family are active in public schools, including his mother-in-law
“I would not have been able to do it without the people in who is a nurse. “I didn’t have a choice,” he joked.
this room,” Ducey told about 500 AASBO members on July After the laughter died down, Ducey said, “I take
19. “ at was a huge victory. ank you. I appreciate your responsibility of being nancially prudent very seriously. It’s
help and support. is isn’t just about the public schools. It’s important that we don’t forget anytime soon the nancial hole
about the people inside, of course the children, of course the we had to dig out of in that rst year. ere is no recession in
teachers, and the people who make the schools run in terms of sight, but we must remain sober and responsible and do the
administration.” right thing, to continue to fund public education, but do it in a
Ducey, a Republican, said he was able to reach across the aisle thoughtful and responsible way.”
to Democrats to move his public school priorities through the e governor, who spoke for about 14 minutes, said there
legislative process. “I don’t think public education is a partisan will always be more to do for K12 education. He said he wants to
issue,” he said. build on and maintain a high-quality public education system.
The governor singled out for special thanks: Ricky “Collaboration requires relationships that we share in this
Hernandez, AASBO’s outgoing President; Jill Barragan, room,” Ducey said.
AASBO’s new President; AASBO Executive Director David He stressed the importance of communication, and said,
Lewis, and AASBO’s Director of Government Relations, Chuck “ e success of this past legislative session is proof positive that
Essigs. He credited their dedication and support for getting his we can continue to achieve historic results in Arizona. So, with
education legislation “across the nish line.” your support I have no doubt we can continue to do so. I give
Ducey then said some people are spreading a rumor that you all encouragement and energy for your cause and what you
Essigs might be a future candidate for the Governor’s O ce, do to make Arizona a better place to live through our public
prompting a round of laughter. “Don’t quit your day job,” Ducey K12 system.”
advised Essigs. “I’ve always thought of you as a lobbyist-of-the-
year type.”
In pushing for the extension of Prop. 301, which was due to “I take responsibility of being nancially
expire in 2020, Ducey noted that the action could have been
put o for a couple of years. “We could have been lazy,” he said. prudent very seriously. It’s important that we
“We had a few years. But we knew that our kids, our teachers, don’t forget anytime soon the nancial hole
our administrators deserved better and also deserved certainty.
So, we told the Legislature, now is the time to get this done. we had to dig out of in that rst year. There
We were able to do it two and a half years early. It speaks to the
priority we have on this and the spirit that we love in terms of is no recession in sight, but we must remain
partnership and cooperation.” sober and responsible and do the right thing, to
But Ducey conceded there was still more to do in K-12 public
education – namely, teacher pay. Without mentioning the week- continue to fund public education, but do it in a
long teachers strike, Ducey said he was able to put together a
responsible plan that promises enough money to give teachers thoughtful and responsible way.”
a 20 percent pay raise by 2020. He credited a rosy economic — Gov. Doug Ducey
forecast and work by his sta on what was possible, and thanked

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