First Things First Statement Re: Senate Passage of HCR 2001
PHOENIX (March 16, 2010) – By a 17-13 vote, the Arizona Senate today passed a measure that will ask voters in November to eliminate First Things First and sweep all of the monies currently designated for critical early childhood services into the General Fund instead.
First Things First Board Chair Steven W. Lynn's statement:
"While we are very disappointed at the Legislature’s action, this does not mean the end of First Things First.
For the first time since we proposed it in 2009, legislative leaders have expressed an interest in negotiating a loan from First Things First. If we can come to an acceptable agreement, the Legislature will be asked to rescind today’s action and ask voters in November for loan approval instead.
We are hopeful that a loan agreement can be reached. If legislative leaders are unwilling to accept a loan, then the current measure – to eliminate First Things First – will go to the voters. Voters created this initiative, they approved it in 2006, and we have every reason to believe that they will uphold their commitment to Arizona’s youngest children in November."
First Things First offers the following information to clarify issues raised in today’s Senate floor speeches:
1. The loan from First Things First has been on the table since December of last year.
2. Voter approval is the ONLY way FTF funds can be used to help with the budget crisis. The FTF Board is prohibited, by law, from using FTF funds to replace funds cut from state programs by the legislature (supplanting).