Legislative Budget Plan Proposes Elimination of First Things First
Voter-Approved Education and Health Services for Youngest Arizonans on Chopping Block
PHOENIX – (March 9, 2010) Despite repeated attempts by First Things First to loan $300 million to the state to offset next year’s budget deficit, the latest legislative budget proposal would eliminate early childhood services funded through the voter-approved measure forever.
HCR 2001, which will be considered by the House Appropriations Committee at 9:30 a.m. today, would repeal First Things First, transfer its fund balance to the state General Fund, and seize any future revenues collected.
“The bottom line is that First Things First would cease to exist,” Board Chair Steve Lynn said. “This action would rob communities of millions each year in educational and health services that help children start kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed.”
There are other options. In December, First Things First offered to loan the state $260 million to offset the state budget deficit, as long as the funds were paid back by 2015 with interest so that the voter-approved services could continue. Last month, that offer was increased to $300 million, and the term of the loan extended to 2017.
“This would have been a win-win for everybody,” Lynn said. “The state would have had more than a quarter of a billion dollars to offset the deficit, while still preserving early childhood services for Arizona’s youngest citizens.”
The proposal to eliminate First Things First instead and seize revenues intended for young children would require a three-quarter vote of the state Legislature, or approval from the state’s voters, in order to take effect.
Nadine Mathis Basha, the leading force behind the citizen’s ballot initiative that created First Things First, said she doesn’t think voters will go for it.
“Arizona voters are pretty savvy; I don’t think they are going to be willing to give up some of the only remaining funding for education and health, and instead, give it to the Legislature – with their current track record,” Basha said.“What have they done in the past 18 months that they can honestly say helped young children to prepare for school or be healthier?”
By contrast, the community-based programs and services funded by First Things First over the past 18 months have resulted in:
- 10,000 children being able to remain safe in child care while their parents worked or looked for work;
- 330,000 healthier children because of outreach to physicians regarding the development of young children;
- 15,000 children in safer, more constructive relationships with parents who volunteered for in-home consultations with early childhood professionals; and,
- Nearly 70,000 new parents receiving the Arizona Parent Kit with information and links to local resources to help them parent their newborn.
Lynn said First Things First takes its responsibility to the tax-payers and voters very seriously and will work hard to oppose any measure designed to steal funding from young children and undermine the intent of voters.
“First Things First stands ready to help the state with the current budget crisis,” Lynn said. “But, we will not agree to budget solutions that overturn the Voter Protection Act and jeopardize opportunities for our youngest children to thrive in school and succeed in life.”
-30-
First Things First was created in 2006, when Arizona voters – through the Proposition 203 ballot initiative – decided to set aside 80 cents from each pack of cigarettes sold in order to fund the expansion of education and health programs for children from birth through age five. Under the terms of the proposition, decisions about how to best use the funds are made on a per‐region basis by 31 councils made up of local leaders. The statewide board – which has final approval of the councils’ recommendations – is responsible for ensuring that the funds are used on programs proven to work at improving outcomes for children.