Last week, Governor Ducey released his FY 2018 executive budget plan, providing more details around his policy priorities outlined in the State of the State address. Relying on a “realistic and achievable” rate of “slow but sustainable growth” in the coming year, the $10.1 billion proposal modestly increases state spending in anticipation of an improving state economy. The budget would put spending above pre-recession levels for the first time; the last time Arizona contemplated this much spending was in 2006-2007.
Not surprisingly, the governor remains committed to K-12 education with 80 percent of new investments dedicated to Arizona’s public schools. In particular, under the Governor’s plan, schools would receive a total of $100 million in permanent funding (with continued increases over the next four years) for strategic investments in 21st century classrooms, like using learning technologies. Other proposals include $51.8 million for school construction and repairs, as well as funding for permanent teacher raises, a computer science pilot program and students with disabilities.
Consistent with Governor Ducey’s promise to run state government “at the speed of business,” his 2018 budget also included a number of IT modernization efforts, many of which we have tracked for years. However, there were some newcomers to governor’s IT spending plan.
Here are some highlights of Governor Ducey’s budget:
Now, it is up to the legislature to debate which projects will receive funding. With the different economic projections - the nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee believes the current fiscal year will end with a cash shortfall of $20 million – it will be a lively deliberation.