Huge budget surplus is illogical when there are so many needs

We pay taxes but don’t get fair representation when it comes to the budget. Our Republican Legislature has a $5.3 billion surplus and cannot agree on how the money should be used.

It’s past time Arizona elected leaders from both parties work together to create a budget that provides for the needs of our communities.

Our community schools are underfunded, and our teachers are underpaid. The demise of Prop 208 will leave them nearly a billion dollars poorer.

According to Cronkite News: “As of January, 31% of teacher positions in the surveyed districts remained vacant” and “47.7% of teacher positions were filled by individuals who did not meet standard teacher requirements.”

According to Scholaroo.com, Arizona ranks 47th for the least educated, 38th for educational attainment, 48th for school quality and 48th in the number of colleges and universities per 100,000 adults.”

The 1980 expenditure limit for school spending should be fully repealed so that our public education system can equip our students to compete in the 21st century.

Every kid in every district, regardless of zip code, skin color, or residency, must be well educated to break the school-to-prison pipeline.

Sustainable water, climate change initiatives, hard infrastructure, broadband throughout the state, affordable housing, homeless populations, childcare and health care all need to be addressed for the future of our state.

We can’t afford to waste or hoard this unprecedented $5.3 billion surplus while our state’s urgent needs are neglected.

Janice Forwood, Sun City