Growing Our Party

Why teachers support Overrides

"for the children", or for themselves?

In this day and age, when families are facing tremendous financial crises, some school districts want to increase spending at a rate that is 50% more than ever in history. How does that answer the question above?

On average, 89% of all k-12 M and O budgets go directly into salaries. For example, Deer Valley Unified is one of a very few districts that is proposing a 15% Override. That will result in an additional tax grab of $24 million dollars, and $21 million of that money will go directly into the pockets of the teachers, et al. Teachers already make more than 50% each year above that of the average worker in Arizona, yet they pressure you to mortgage your home with an additional tax lien that will last for the next seven years.

Since 2001, Deer Valley has used this override scam to collect an additional $1 BILLION OVER AND ABOVE the funding from regular state general fund and local property taxes. It is important to remember that the latter appropriated funds have themselves seen increases that doubled the cost to YOU since 2003.

Deer Valley's situation is even more incongruous. The people leading the campaign for this tax grab include: a teacher that is 'double dipping' by taking retirement checks from the taxpayer supported retirement system AND continuing her career at full pay in the same position she had when she 'retired' at taxpayer expense; a former education administrator who lives in Sun City and pays NO education taxes; and the current Superintendent who will not face increased taxes on her home because she lives in the Cave Creek school district where every override attempt has failed miserably. In addition, she is another 'double dipper' who takes over $300,000 annually from the system.

The Arizona Education Association - the teacher union - decries the 'destruction' of district schools when, in fact, they have more money than ever - even when inflation adjusted on a per pupil basis. Teachers and administrators need to spend as much time advocating reforms that will improve the learning outcomes for the students as they do padding their pockets. That would be the best news possible for parents and employers alike.

In the meantime, never forget that teachers pushing for taxpayer funds are doing what the scam artists do at freeway on-ramps. They are playing on your emotions and manipulating your compassionate concern for others, except teachers want to confiscate the money from everyone, not just charity from the willing. Worse, they are balckmailing you using the welfare of your children to bilk you out of the money you need to keep your family financially secure.

People are losing their homes to the tax man and thousands of other Arizona state workers are being laid off just so the educational elites can make more money. They should be ashamed - but they have lost that endearing attribute many decades ago.

We call on you to vote NO on your early ballots and at the polls on March 9.