Lawmakers want education sales tax extended

PHOENIX (AP) — A Republican state Senator has introduced legislation already in play in the Arizona House to permanently extend a sales tax that provides about $550 million a year for K-12 education.

Sen. Kate Brophy McGee said Thursday that dozens of lawmakers wanted to back Rep. Doug Coleman's legislation after he introduced it earlier this month. So she introduced an identical bill in her chamber with nearly 60 co-sponsors, close to 2/3 of the Legislature.

The proposal makes the 6/10 of a cent education sales tax permanent. Proposition 301 was approved by voters in 2000 but expires after 2020. Gov. Doug Ducey has supported extending and "modernizing" the tax but made no move to put it on the ballot.

Coleman says having lawmakers extend the tax would remove uncertainty for schools.

http://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/lawmakers-want-education-sales-tax-extended/article_f6e5cdbd-7e02-5afe-90c6-fa7499d7d418.html