Sahuarita Education Association

11/11/2023

We're so excited about the 41 bonds and overrides that won this year! These critical measures translate directly into educator salaries, class sizes, and building improvements, as well as programs like arts, music and sports. Our members spent weeks knocking on doors and talking to voters about these measures, and we're so thrilled with all the victories. Although there were also some tough losses, the overall picture is clear -- Arizonans love our public schools and are ready to invest in the future of public education. We are feeling hopeful, determined and ready to keep fighting!

08/08/2021

Update from AEA President, Joe Thomas:
At the end of June, Governor Ducey and the Arizona Legislature passed a state budget that includes the largest tax cut in state history, including a 2.5% flat income tax and a top marginal tax rate of 4.5%. These changes result in a combined impact of a $3 billion cut to state revenue and affect the state’s ability to provide quality public education for our students and health and safety services for our communities. In addition, Arizona’s leaders passed a law – Senate Bill 1783 – which is a direct attack on the Invest in Education Act, cutting nearly $300 million from this revenue approved by voters last year.
With billions of dollars in surplus, the governor and legislature had an opportunity to make real investments in public education and our communities. Instead, they passed tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthiest and leave most Arizonans with little to no relief.
AEA and the INVESTinED coalition have launched three initiatives to refer these bills to the ballot. The coalition renamed itself Invest in Arizona Now. Last month, AEA conducted a survey of our members on the state budget and their support of the referendum campaigns. The online survey of 2,446 teachers and education support professionals conducted July 15 – 28, 2021, found an overwhelming majority of educators in the survey opposed the flat income tax and tax cap included in the state budget. More than half said they were willing to help with the campaign to collect petition signatures, with respondents committing to gather nearly 30,000 petition signatures.
— 92% oppose the 2.5% flat income tax
— 92% oppose capping income tax at 4.5%
— 89% oppose the law attacking INVESTinED
— 63% said they would help AEA’s efforts to overturn these bills
In total, respondents committed to collecting 27,070 petition signatures
The final question asked members to list their top two concerns going into the new school year. Their responses have been collected and displayed in this word cloud:

07/27/2021

🍎 🍎

Since its passage in the 2020 election, Governor Ducey and the Republican legislative leadership have attacked the Invest in Education Act, which would have brought $940 million in permanent sustainable funding for public schools by taxing incomes over a half million dollars, through lawsuits and legislation.

The recently passed state budget provides massive tax cuts and a loophole for the wealthiest in Arizona to avoid the INVESTinED tax.

In response, the Invest in Education coalition, of which AEA is a member, has renamed itself the Invest in Arizona coalition and filed three referendums to stop the horrible attacks on public education funding:

▪️SB1828: referendum to overturn the regressive 2.5% flat tax that tips the scales for the wealthiest
▪️SB1827: referendum to overturn the tax cap that reduces the amount the wealthiest pay to the INVESTinED tax
▪️SB1783: referendum to overturn the loophole created for those making over a half-million dollars in income to avoid the INVESTinED tax.

In order to refer these bills to the 2022 ballot, 118,823 valid petition signatures will need to be turned in by September 28, 2021. The coalition has already printed petitions and launched signature gathering efforts. Once enough valid signatures have been verified by the Secretary of State, an injunction will be placed on the legislation until the election. The coalition will then need to campaign to get voters to vote NO on these referendums in order to permanently stop this legislation from taking effect.

Find more info & opportunities to get involved here:

Gov Ducey, Arizona legislators, and special interest groups recently passed several bills that include massive tax cuts that will affect water, roads, public safety, health care, city infrastructure, and education. They also passed massive tax cuts to decrease the revenue generated by the voter-appr...

07/20/2021

Jonathan’s!!

05/27/2021

It's Budget week! Tell your elected officials to prioritize education investments!

I just emailed my elected leaders using this simple tool to tell them to prioritize education in this year's state budget. You should do the same!

05/15/2021

Why Invest in Ed matters to Sahuarita……..

Call your legislators & http://arizonaea.org/investined

03/15/2021

One of the many benefits of NEA Membership 😊

Enroll Today

03/09/2021

More Motor March Information!!!!