Republican lawmakers, Hobbs differ on how to extend Prop. 123

Two Republican state lawmakers want voters to approve a ballot measure to boost teacher salaries by about $4,000 a year.

The proposal is based on extending Prop. 123. That was a ballot measure passed in 2015 that generated $3.5 billion for education over the last decade by tapping into the state land trust.

It ends later this year. Lawmakers have already set aside some money to make up for revenue shortfalls.

Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs has her own plan for extending the proposition, which would increase pay for support staff, school funding and safety.

However the plan from GOP Sen. J.D. Mesnard and Representative Matt Gress would go directly to voters, bypassing Hobbs.

“We want to focus it on teachers, where there's a shortage, where there's a particular crisis. It's in the classroom," Mesnard said.

State Treasurer Kimberly Yee cast doubts on both plans, which could raise opposition in the Legislature.

Yee acknowledged that similar dire predictions by predecessor Jeff DeWitt a decade ago failed to materialize. But she said that she remains doubtful that the rate of return on the trust proceeds can be maintained at that rate in the future.

The treasurer has no power to block the legislative proposal.

But her opposition could raise sufficient doubts that could defeat a vote on the plan at a yet-to-be-determined special election sometime later this year. And the original Proposition 123 barely skated by with a 51-49 margin despite bipartisan support.