On Dec. 7, 2015, the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction and
several state legislators gathered at Wesley Bolin Plaza to request the
transfer of federal lands to the State of Arizona for long term
education funding.
“Regaining land that is rightfully ours would create a larger state
land trust,” said Superintendent Douglas. “When the land is returned to
our state, Arizonians can determine how to more effectively leverage the
land’s value and better fund education.”
Many people do not realize that our public education system derives
its funding from the school trust lands in each state. The more public
land a state owns, the higher the education revenue.
"The federal government currently owns nearly half of land in Arizona
and loses 27 cents for every dollar they spend on land management, a
loss to the taxpayers of approximately $2 billion per year. States, on
the other hand, generate on average $14.51 for every dollar they spend
on managing public lands. “There is absolutely no reason to waste all of
this land when it could provide critical revenues for Arizona
education,” Douglas said. “When it comes to today’s western states, the
federal government has refused to honor the same promise made and kept
with all other states east of Colorado,” said Rep. Mark Finchem, R-11.
“Our state has a proven track record of maximizing the land we do
control, so it makes no sense to allow mismanagement of these
resources.”
(read original press release HERE)
Does your Department of Education support the Transfer of Public Lands? Do they understand the ramifications of not
supporting it? Do they realize the tremendous resource that proper
management of our public lands could be for your children? If not...who
do you suppose should tell them?
Source: American Lands Council
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