Given the imminent call of a special session by Gov. Doug Ducey to consider his negotiated settlement with plaintiffs and the Legislature in the inflation lawsuit for funding K-12 education, the Arizona Chapter of NAIOP encourages state legislators to promptly approve the plan and advance the package to the May 2016 ballot for voter approval.

“Our members are on the front line of attracting and expanding firms that provide high-wage jobs to our state,” said Tim Lawless, President of NAIOP-AZ, the largest commercial real estate trade association in the state. “We are vitally interested in giving our schools the resources they need to educate our future workforce while not harming our competitive tax structure and improving our regional and national image as a good place to do business.”

“We believe this integrated funding package does all these things,” Lawless added. “While this plan increases base funding per student to $3,600 annually and injects $3.5 billion more into schools over 10 years, we appreciate that the proposal does not raise taxes and provides prudent safeguards to protect our state budget in times of economic downturn.”

Because funding from the General Fund and the increase in distributions from the State Land Trust are conditionally enacted with voter approval once on the ballot, NAIOP Arizona is anticipating strong support for a potential public campaign effort in the months to come, Lawless said.