Page 38 - The Edge - Winter 2016

“It’s going to be well-funded, well-organized. It’s going to be made up of not just leaders in the

business community and in the education community, but you’re going to see teachers and parents and
grandparents, everybody who has an interest in putting more money into education, everybody who

has an interest what happens in the classroom. Everybody’s going to be involved. I think you’re going
to see a campaign that is very large in its grassroots and messaging effort. And I think it will be on a

scale larger than most of the initiative campaigns or referendum campaigns that the state’s ever seen.”
— J.P. Twist, an aide to Gov. Doug Ducey who will serve as the Prop. 123 campaign manager

K-12 SETTLEMENT CAMPAIGN “So far we’re just analyzing everything and then seeing
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 where it will take us. But nothing is in the mix to run an
opposition right now or anything,” Dollman said.
Dollman said no one has contacted DeWit about any
its grassroots and messaging effort. And I think it will be possible opposition campaigns either. He said he didn’t
on a scale larger than most of the initiative campaigns or know whether the treasurer would have any interest in
referendum campaigns that the state’s ever seen.” taking part if someone did reach out.
Ducey signaled that the business community will play a “We figured we would be contacted first, since he was
major role in the campaign when he announced that Plaza the only one really opposed to it besides (former Treasurer)
Companies CEO Sharon Harper, who serves chairman of Dean Martin and the Dems,” he said. “But we haven’t been
the Greater Phoenix Leadership’s board of directors, would contacted by anybody. And we’re not looking right now to
chair the campaign for Prop. 123. do anything just because we’re focused on the Treasurer’s
“Now it is up to the voters to do their part and conclude Office. And we still have to pretty much analyze what’s
the Legislature’s actions by voting yes for our schools, yes going on.”
for our teachers, yes for our children,” Harper said during Democratic lawmakers who loudly criticized the
an Oct. 30 bill-signing ceremony for the education package. settlement expressed doubt that any cohesive opposition
Jim Zaharis, vice president of the Greater Phoenix group, campaign would take shape. Some Democrats who voted
said his organization believes Prop. 123 is important and against the deal in special session now say they’ll vote for it
that it will help fund the campaign. And he said he expects in May due to the lack of alternatives.
similar commitments from the state’s myriad business “I’m having a hard time imagining that anybody would
groups. be there because they’ve put us between a rock and a hard
“There’s significant alignment among the chambers, the place because we need to get money to our schools. But
three CEO organizations and our organization in support at what price is going to be the question,” said Sen. Steve
of this,” Zaharis said. Farley, D-Tucson, who said he can’t vote for Prop. 123 as
Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry spokesman long as it includes an “aggregate trigger” that allows some
Garrick Taylor said it’s too early to say what the chamber’s cuts to K-12 funding if it becomes at least 49 percent of all
specific role in the campaign will be. But the chamber plans general fund spending.
to help. The Ducey administration is expecting an opposition
“The chamber has a record of actively supporting both campaign of some kind. Twist said the campaign is hoping
measures and candidates that are on the ballot. We’ve never there won’t be much opposition but will prepare for any
been shy about exercising our voice in the political process,” “vote no” campaign that emerges.
Taylor said. “We’ll be prepared for any sort of opposition that comes
While the settlement agreement faced some opposition our way,” he said.
at the Capitol, none of its vocal critics are lining up yet to Prop. 123, a proposed amendment to the Arizona
urge Arizonans vote to “no” in the May 17 special election. Constitution, will ask voters to approve changes the state’s
Many eyes are on state Treasurer Jeff DeWit, who spent Permanent Land Endowment Trust Fund, which will provide
months lambasting Ducey’s plan to fund K-12 education an additional $2.2 billion to K-12 schools over the course
by increasing payments from the state’s land trust, which of a decade, and create economic triggers that will allow
became a core component of the settlement agreement. the Legislature to temporarily suspend annual inflation
Dean Dollman, a spokesman for the treasurer, said DeWit payments to schools during severe economic downturns.
has no immediate plans to take part in a campaign against
Prop. 123.

38 THE EDGE | WINTER 2016