Prop. 100 Resource Center

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The Arizona School Boards Association supports Prop. 100, the temporary
1-cent sales tax that will appear on the May 18th ballot. ASBA's statement of support

THE FACTS ON PROP. 100

►The temporary sales tax would be one percent or one cent per dollar.

►It would be in effect for three years, from June 1, 2010, to May 31, 2013. (The tax is constitutionally required to end – without any action needed -after this period of time; only ANOTHER vote of the people could extend the tax.)

►The sales tax is expected to generate $2.9 billion in revenues over three years.

►Two-thirds of that sales tax revenue - or $1.9 billion - will go to K-12 public education.

►The remaining third will benefit public safety and health and human services.

►The sales tax does not solve the state's deficit, but is a critically important part of the solution.

►Without these revenues, devastating cuts to Arizona public education funding will be necessary, resulting in long-term negative consequences to our students and schools.

Read the full text of the ballot measure

District-by-District Estimates of Cuts If the Sales Tax Fails
Cuts already made by the legislature to K-12 education funding for fiscal year 2011 total $431 million (an 8 percent reduction). If the sales tax fails, schools will need to make an additional $428 million (an additional 8 percent) in cuts, putting K-12 education cuts for FY 2011 at $859 million or more than 16 percent.

The governor's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting has released a report with district-by-district, raw dollar estimates of the impact of legislative budget cuts on Arizona school districts for the 2010-11 school year (FY 2011) and estimates of additional cuts for each school district if the May 18 sales tax election fails. Estimated per pupil reductions for each scenario are included as well.

View the Conditional Budget Impacts on School Districts

Reading the report:

"Total K-12 Cuts" represents the estimated amount of cuts if the sales tax passes on May 18.
The "Contingency K-12 Cuts" represents the estimated additional cuts if the sales tax election fails.
For the TOTAL impact if the sales tax fails, the two estimates should be added together.
The "Per Pupil Reduction" is the estimated cuts per pupil if the sales tax election passes, the "Contingency Per Pupil" is the estimated additional cuts per pupil if the sales tax election fails, and the "Combined Per Pupil Reduction" is the estimated TOTAL cuts per pupil if the sales tax election fails.
The $38 million reduction in state non-formula programs in not reflected in "Total K-12 Cuts," "Per Pupil Reduction" or in the "Combined Per Pupil Reduction."

15-511 Do's and Don'ts for Public School Leaders

It is imperative that advocacy efforts on behalf of Prop. 100 by school board members and public school employees stay within the bounds of the law. Arizona Revised Statutes section 15-511 prohibits school districts from using school resources to influence the outcome of an election.

SUMMARY OF 4-15-10 CONFERENCE CALL:
Campaigning & Advocacy Do's and Don'ts for Public School Leaders
An overview of 15-511, FAQs and important resources View/download

This is what A.R.S. 15-511 prohibits:

It prohibits school boards (collectively, as a board) from making statements or submitting arguments in favor or in opposition to a ballot measure.
It prohibits school employees, when on school time, from activities that would influence an election.
It prohibits the use of school property including equipment, paper, copiers, buildings, computers, etc. from being used to influence an election.
It prohibits students being given campaign material intended to influence an election or material intended to influence the outcome of legislation. Because this is an area of the law with special emphasis, the best practice is to avoid children taking home any material that might be deemed political.

A.R.S. 15-511 does not tie the hands of school board members or public school employees, however. This is what the law DOES NOT prohibit:

Individual board members or school employees not on school time MAY exercise their free speech rights and get involved in campaigns.
School district employees MAY receive campaign information in school district e-mail accounts and mailboxes from an outside (non-school) sender; however, in the case of school e-mail accounts, such information cannot be passed on to others – including outside recipients.
Outside groups, including PTO's, MAY organize and use school buildings to have meetings in support of a campaign providing those groups lease the facilities in the manner any other group would be allowed to lease.
Individuals MAY exercise their free speech rights (politicking, including flyer distribution) at an event in which the public at-large is welcome, providing that such activity is welcome among all groups and is consistent with district policy for such activity.
School districts MAY remind their patrons that election day is May 18 and ask them to vote – so long there is no attempt to say HOW to vote.
Board members and school employees on school time MAY answer questions from a factual perspective on impact to the school district depending on election's outcome. (However, be careful here! If facts can be viewed as being overly speculative, skewed or selectively used to further a particular viewpoint, the law may be triggered.)

Attorney General's Guidelines on 15-511
The Attorney General's Office has published guidelines to give school officials practical advice on adhering to the law's requirements. They are worth reading and getting acquainted with. View the guidelines

ASBA suggests the inclusion of the following text on campaign-related emails that may be sent to school district email accounts:

NOTE: Because of concerns over the law prohibiting the use of school resources to influence the outcome of an election, those individuals receiving this communication with school district e-mail accounts should not forward or further distribute this communication using school computers or the school's e-mail system.

Questions regarding A.R.S. 15-511 should be directed to Chris Thomas, ASBA's General Counsel: cthomas@azsba.org.

ADVOCACY CENTER
Together we can ensure Prop. 100 passes, but there's no time to waste! Early ballots will be mailed April 22.

►VOTE YES on your early mail-in ballot or at the polls on Tuesday, May 18.

►Urge your district to develop a contingency budget to demonstrate the impact of failure of Prop. 100.

►Stay informed! Join the Yes for 100 campaign and ASBA on Facebook. Visit the YES on 100 campaign web site (www.yeson100.com) and continue to check the Yes on 100 Resource Center on ASBA's web site (www.azsba.org)

►Talk about why it's important to vote YES! Tell friends, family, neighbors and business associates why a YES vote is critically important to your schools and community. (Print and share ASBA's Prop. 100 advocacy flyer on the flyer on the Yes on 100 web site - see links below.)

►Use your email network to spread the word! Educate those in your network about the issue and encourage them to vote YES on their early mail-in ballot or at the polls on Tuesday, May 18.

►Go public with your support TODAY! Write a letter of support for Prop. 100 and submit it to your local newspaper. Post your thoughts on your Facebook page or blog about the issue.

ASBA's Prop. 100 advocacy flyer View/download
Print and distribute this flyer - or share it via email - as part of your Yes on 100 efforts!

YES on 100 campaign advocacy handout View/download
Print and distribute this flyer - or share it via email - as part of your Yes on 100 efforts!

Yes on 100 Campaign website
www.Yeson100.com

Stay updated via Facebook
www.facebook.com/Yeson100 AND www.facebook.com/ASBAFans

VOTER INFORMATION - Important Dates

April 19 - Last day to register to vote in this election Register to vote

April 22 - Early voting begins Request an early ballot

May 18 - Election Day Polling Place Locator