Wisconsin and Louisiana may drastically reduce funding for colleges, but Arizona is the first to go all the way - eliminate state funding altogether.
The editorial in the Arizona State paper says it best: "Ducey and Arizona Republicans have made an all but official declaration that the education of future generations is less important than the feelings of millionaires on tax day." http://www.statepress.com/2015/03/04/after-duceys-latest-affront-asu-students-must-fight-for-the-right-to-study/ https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/06/arizona-budget-deal-would-eliminate-all-state-funds-3-large-community-college -----------------------------snip With state support for public higher education dwindling generally, experts on community colleges have for several years been lamenting the reality of states (including Arizona) where the share of state support for community colleges is in the single digits. But until now they haven't been talking about zero state support. The specific plan in Arizona would disqualify community colleges for state funds if they are in counties with more than 350,000 residents. That covers the large counties that are home to the Pima and Maricopa districts, and also covers Central Arizona College, where President Doris Helmich told *The Casa Grande Dispatch <http://www.trivalleycentral.com/casa_grande_dispatch/area_news/president-of-cac-shocked/article_ced5654e-c34e-11e4-9338-ebdbfc0b717e.html>* that the idea that her college could lose all state funds was "shocking, absolutely shocking." Lee D. Lambert, chancellor of Pima Community College, issued this statement: “We know that the state is in a difficult financial position, but we are extremely disappointed that the governor's proposed budget seeks to compensate for a state revenue shortfall by withdrawing all support for the Pima and Maricopa community college systems, as well as reducing funding to other institutions of higher learning within Arizona. These proposed cuts to our funding will do irreparable damage to PCC in the near term, especially at a time when operational costs are rising, and the overall impact of such a precipitous reduction is impossible to calculate. We are working hard to anticipate and mitigate the damage as the budget process unfolds.”
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