Senator Vince Leach applauds court ruling on desegregation funding

Monday, August 16, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Senator Vince Leach applauds court ruling on desegregation funding

(Phoenix, State Capitol) --- Senator Vince Leach is pleased with a unanimous ruling from the state Court of Appeals affirming that the cost of desegregation programs is the sole responsibility of those who live in that school district. Three years ago, legislators put that into law.

"Why should people across the state be on the hook for the costs of these programs in the Tucson Unified School District," said Senator Leach. "If that district feels these programs are important, it should turn to the people who live there and send students to its schools, not every taxpayer in Arizona."

"In 2018, we moved desegregation expenses from the primary property tax to the secondary tax category. Prior to this, all Arizona homeowners were responsible for the desegregation costs in TUSD. Taxpayers in communities that don't have desegregation programs, which is virtually every place in Arizona, should not be propping up TUSD. The Appeals Court ruling confirmed that," said Senator Leach.

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