Imagine running a business where, just as payday approaches, the government steps in and tells you they need to vote before you can pay your employees. The money is there, but if the vote doesn’t go your way, too bad. Absurd? Welcome to the reality of Arizona’s public schools. That’s exactly what Arizona’s schools face each year due to an outdated law called the Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL).
The AEL is a leftover rule from the 1980s that requires the Legislature to vote on whether schools can spend money that the previous year’s Legislature has already budgeted for them. For decades, both Democrats and Republicans agreed on overriding this limit to make sure schools stayed open and functional. But recently, a handful of extreme lawmakers have contorted this rule into a political weapon, recklessly putting Arizona’s schools and economy at risk.
Adam Goodman
Some of those extreme legislators are from Legislative District 17 in Southern Arizona — Cory McGarr and Rachel Jones. Last session, they both voted against allowing schools to use the money they were promised. Their vote wasn’t about financial responsibility; it was about forcing through an ideological agenda at any cost. As a result, schools were left waiting for a last-minute political decision that could’ve had serious consequences.
This is not how a government should operate, and it’s definitely not how you support a strong, thriving community. If the legislature hadn’t extended the AEL, schools across Arizona could be forced to shut down in the middle of the school year. Imagine the chaos: thousands of teachers — already underpaid — suddenly furloughed. Classrooms left empty, children at home. Parents — many already stretched thin — forced to choose between earning a paycheck or caring for their children. The ripple effect would be devastating across every community.
And that’s just the beginning. Teachers and staff make up a huge part of any school’s budget. If districts are forced to cut 17% of their budget halfway through the year — after much of that money is already spent — layoffs would be inevitable. The damage? Immediate and irreversible.
In rural areas, where schools are often the largest employer, the consequences would be catastrophic. When teachers lose their jobs, it’s not just the classroom that suffers—it’s the entire town. Local grocery stores, mechanics, diners—all would feel the hit as incomes vanish, and the lifeblood of the community dries up.
As the CEO of a business with 200 employees, I can tell you this isn’t how budgeting works in the real world. Any responsible business owner plans ahead to make sure they can pay their employees and keep the lights on. If businesses had to deal with the same arbitrary rules extreme legislators are pushing on schools, we’d be out of business in no time. And Arizona’s reputation as a place to do business would take a hit, too.
This kind of reckless behavior isn’t leadership. It’s short-sighted political maneuvering that hurts students, families, and businesses. If you don’t take care of the basics in business, you fail. The same goes for running a state.
Thankfully, we have the chance to elect leaders who get it. Kevin Volk, a businessman and former educator, is running for the Arizona State House in LD17. He understands that fully funding schools, paying teachers fairly, and keeping facilities up to date are crucial for Arizona’s long-term success. Kevin is committed to fixing the AEL problem once and for all, so schools don’t have to fight these annual political battles just to stay open.
I support Kevin Volk because he brings a pragmatic, business-minded approach to government. He knows that budgeting isn’t about playing political games — it’s about making sure that both schools and businesses have what they need. Let’s keep Arizona a place where families, students, and businesses can thrive. It starts with electing leaders like Kevin Volk — leaders who prioritize real solutions over political theater. The future of our schools, our economy, and our communities depends on it.
