Candidate for governor reacts to finance bill

Brian Foster Arizona Daily Wildcat Democratic candidate Paul Johnson speaks to students yesterday in the Memorial Student Union Rincon Room about improving education. Johnson is running for governor and said he believes family, faith and community are the three most crucial aspects of society.

"The bill passed," was scribbled in pencil on a torn piece of paper and slipped to Johnson in front of a crowd of 20 people.

The bill replaces bonding with new state spending while allowing individual districts to opt out of the system.

The Senate previously approved the bill 24-6, and yesterday's 31-29 House vote sent it to Gov. Jane Hull for her promised signature today.

"That's too bad," Johnson said, shaking his head. "It will send tuition through the roof."

Johnson, a Democrat, was at the University of Arizona yesterday campaigning for student and faculty votes.

He said the controversial bill that held up the House will have university students digging deeper into their pockets for tuition. By funding schools with budget surplus instead of state property taxes, K-12 schools will compete with universities for legislative funding, Johnson said.

"If that bill stays in place, you are going to see the impact in your tuition," he said. "You're going to see it in the next couple years."

Associated Students President Gilbert Davidson, who has worked this year with the Arizona Board of Regents on student tuition issues, said Johnson's take on the bill is unique.

"I have not heard that our tuition will be directly impacted by the bill," said Davidson, who attended Johnson's hour-long forum. "I think all of us as students need to be as vigilant as possible to keep tuition low."

Johnson, 38, the former mayor of Phoenix, will run unopposed in this year's democratic primaries.

"We need to maintain schools in years it is popular - and years it is unpopular," Johnson said.

He said his stance on the Arizona school system is based on past experience. Johnson described his hometown, Sunnyslope, as "a poverty pocket," and said he used to get free lunch in elementary school because of family financial troubles.

Mandatory uniforms, daytime curfews and a statewide code of conduct heads Johnson's agenda for the public school system.

"I'm the guy you go to when you want to change the status quo," he said.

Under Johnson's "one-strike-and-you're-out" policy, one major offense would toss trouble-makers out of public schools and into the arms of alternative programs.

"The bottom line is - darn it - the government has got to do its job," Johnson added.