The headline in the AZ Daily Star on Tuesday, April 25th states: “Business tax cuts, university funds in proposed AZ budget”. Yes, more business tax cuts in a state where the fastest growing jobs do not require EVEN A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE! And, wait, didn’t we lose over $100 million in higher education funding just a year before and aren’t we gaining only $27 million back into higher education budgets? And, what is that additional $5 million to higher ed all about?
AZ Capitol Times reported that new figures obtained April 14, 2016 from the AZ state Department of Administration show that jobs not requiring a high school degree will increase by more than 6.6 percent. And the second biggest boost in Arizona employment will be in jobs for which only a high school diploma is required.
Gov. Ducey’s answer is to blindly move forward with his campaign promises of no new taxes and reducing current taxes. He has now proposed a special earmark for higher education- $5 million dollars to fund the continuation of free-enterprise programs which started with seed money from Charles Koch.
There’s that name again. We heard of the Koch brothers financing the election campaign of Ducey. We know Ducey continues to go to “educational summits” sponsored by the Koch brothers. What a relief that our tax dollars probably did not support these trips...the Koch brothers only received a paltry remittance…access to our higher education institutions to “seed” free enterprise programs for college students which eventually would become supported through AZ state tax dollars.
Free enterprise programs in our colleges promoting the fiscal libertarian ideals of the Koch brothers…what a perfect solution to the current challenges in Arizona! In Kids Count Data from the Annie E Casey Foundation we get a clear idea of who lives in Arizona today: In 2006-2010, 16% of AZ children were living in high poverty. In 2010-2014, there was an 8% increase - 24% of all children in AZ now live in high poverty – in Ducey’s free enterprise system which minimizes government. Meanwhile, not surprising, Arizona’s graduation rate from high school dropped from 78% in 2010 to 76% in 2014. While this state is close to last place in the country in terms of funding for public education, Governor Ducey wants to continue to underfund not only K-12 education but also higher education. Yes, let’s minimize the role of the state in supporting its’ citizens - we must maximize personal freedoms through that worn trickle down concept of economics….surely what is good for corporations will be good for the children and families of AZ. Why, look how great the state of Kansas has become with this philosophy!!?
Did I mention that the families of AZ typically do not enjoy the wealth, privileges and “personal freedoms” afforded the Kochs who grew up in wealth and received their education from places like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology while pledging to fraternities. Oh yes, Charles Koch was quoted as saying; “My father wanted me to work as if I was the poorest person in the world.” So, there you have it, the secret to success - Having wealth and working hard.
The only “families” gaining under the Ducey administration are the corporations who are enjoying enormous tax breaks. They have wealth, are gaining even more wealth under Ducey’s administration and probably are working hard. See? Koch’s ideals ARE working in Arizona!
While the majority of Arizona’s citizens struggle to live in communities with low paying jobs, a lackluster forecast of job growth, decrepit roads and highways, minimal mental health resources, an education system which was funded at a higher rate back in 2007, a child safety department which spent more on the protection of children five years ago than today, a water use policy surely to bankrupt the state of AZ of its’ water resources within the next twenty years, and a struggling housing market which has not seen the rebound found in other states, Ducy’s (and Koch’s) policies are on target to increase the wealth of the already wealthy.