Success!!!!!!! (?)

Woo hoo!!!!!

From the Arizona Daily Star:

"State lawmakers will have to restore at least $150 million in cuts they just made to higher education to keep Arizona from losing more than $800 million in federal education stimulus funds.

Draft rules by the U.S. Department of Education require states to use their allocations to help restore public support to the higher figure of what was being spent either this budget year or the previous one.

While some GOP lawmakers are upset about the federal rules — and the need to give money back to universities — Gov. Jan Brewer is not, her press aide said.

"This governor views this as a good opportunity to restore some critical funding to universities," Paul Senseman said. He said Brewer realizes, though, that makes it more "challenging" to produce a balanced budget."

http://www.azstarnet.com/business/286208.php

From the Daily Wildcat:

"The development is a complication for legislators and Republican Gov. Jan Brewer as they struggle to keep the current budget in the black despite a new shortfall expected to reach $500 million. That's despite the January approval of a plan to close a $1.6 billion gap in the then-$9.9 billion budget."

http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2009/03/27/News/Stimulus.May.Allay.Budget.Cuts-3685909.shtml

Write to Gov. Brewer as soon as possible and tell her that you support restoring the university budgets in order to meet the requirements for the stimulus package:

The Honorable Jan Brewer
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Telephone (602) 542-4331
Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883
Fax (602) 542-1381

Or visit her website and fill out the comments form: http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp

Don't know what to say?

Phone: "I am an Arizona resident and student and I am calling to encourage the governor to restore the funding to university education so that Arizona can benefit from the stimulus package." (They will make a note of it and then hang up on you.)

Letter:
"Dear Gov. Brewer,
I am a resident of Arizona and a student and I am writing to encourage you to restore the funding to higher education and accept the stimulus package from the federal government. This is the best way to ensure quality public higher education and stimulate our state's economy through innovation. Thank you for your time and careful consideration of this matter.
Sincerely, [your name]."

The governor is the sole person who can decide to accept or reject these stimulus dollars. Make sure to tell her how you feel so that she knows the will of the people when she runs for election!