A political squabble is holding up restoration of funds for Arizona's Joint Technical Education Districts.
Early last week, the House gave unanimous approval to putting back $28 million of the $30 million that is scheduled to be taken from the career and technical education programs this coming school year. House Speaker David Gowan said he presumed the Senate would simply ratify the House bill and send it to the governor. But the Senate made a last-minute change it said was necessary and sent its version to the House for a final vote.
Senate President Andy Biggs said that's the one that should go to the governor. "It's over at the House. And I think that they want the bill. And so it's kind of up to them, really."
The result is a political staring contest-- much of it around who gets the credit-- and neither side is blinking. That's frustrating to Tina Norton, assistant superintendent of the Pima County JTED program. She said schools need final word on what funding they will get, and soon.
"Having this be a closed issue and a non-issue allows districts to go on and plan for next year and enroll kids and have teachers not feel like they have to go and find other jobs," Norton said.