Professional Documents
Culture Documents
gov,
scourt@azleg.gov, rcrandall@azleg.gov, mheinz@azleg.gov, rjones@azleg.gov,
nmclain@azleg.gov, jkavanagh@azleg.gov, rmurphy@azleg.gov,
dschapira@azleg.gov, ksinema@azleg.gov, vwilliams@azleg.gov,
paboud@azleg.gov, aaguirre@azleg.gov, sallen@azleg.gov, pgorman@azleg.gov,
rgould@azleg.gov, ahale@azleg.gov, jharper@azleg.gov, amelvin@azleg.gov,
rpearce@azleg.gov, mailto:spierce@azleg.gov, rrios@azleg.gov
I join all three of the state’s university presidents in saying that these proposed
cuts are outrageous and irresponsible. They would have an immediately devastating
effect on the quality of education in our state and would also gravely harm our economy.
While I acknowledge that the nation is suffering under a recession and that unlimited
funds are not available at this time, I want to stress that the public university system in
Arizona is a part of the solution, not the problem. Arizona, Arizona State, and Northern
Arizona University all stimulate our state’s economy and employ and educate thousands
of people. They also bring in millions of dollars in grants and innovate in the fields of
medicine, chemistry, pharmacy, engineering, and countless other areas. They train and
prepare thousands of students every year to compete in an increasingly tight job market.
As CEO Taylor Lawrence of Raytheon, Southern Arizona’s largest employer, explained at
the January 22nd’s Arizona Board of Regents meeting, “the key to innovation is
education.” This was not the only important business leader who stood up and spoke out
against the proposal to cut education in Arizona because of their potential to lay waste to
our local and state economy.
I stand against the proposed cuts, and I implore you to do the same. It is not
appropriate to respond to economic crisis by dismantling some of the state’s largest
employers. Please do not let this legislature be remembered as the government that
destroyed public education.
Sincerely,