KGUN 9NewsLocal News

Actions

House, Senate vote for school tax extension

House, Senate vote for school tax extension
Posted
and last updated

The Arizona House has joined the Senate in voting to extend a sales tax that provides more than $500 million a year for K-12 schools until 2041.

Thursday's votes send the proposal to Gov. Doug Ducey for his consideration.

Proposition 301 was approved by voters in 2000 and levies a 6/10 of a cent sales tax to fund K-12 schools, universities and colleges. It was set to expire in 2021.

The proposal approved on supermajority votes in both chambers extends the tax for 20 years. It takes $64 million currently being used for debt service and redirects it to teacher pay after June 2021. That will provide about a 2 percent pay increase.

The sales tax brings in about $667 million a year. Public K-12 schools get the bulk of the cash, but universities and colleges and bond interest payments also get a share.

RELATED STORIES:

Prop 301 tax hike could become permanent education funding source