PHOENIX — State lawmakers approved a $17.8 billion spending plan Wednesday after Republican lawmakers beat back efforts by Democrats to curb ever-expanding universal vouchers because that wasn’t part of the deal GOP leaders negotiated with Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, D-Tucson, sought to impose an immediate pause to enrolling more students in the program until lawmakers could get a better handle on costs. She pointed out the price tag just this school year to allow students to get tax dollars to attend private or parochial schools at taxpayer expenses, regardless of financial need, already has more than doubled the original $200 million estimate.
That doesn’t include another $176 million that finances the original program started in 2011 to serve students with special needs.
