ASU, NAU, UofA presidents back Brewer

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percent sales tax. Arizon State University PresidentMichael Crow, Northern Arizonza University President John Haeger and University of Arizona Presideng Robert Shelton have come out in support of Brewer’z budget fearing proposals by the Republican-controlled Legislature will contain draconian cuts to school budgets. “While the governor’ds budget includes tens of millions of dollars of cuts for the thre stateuniversities – on top of the hundreds of millionds in cuts we have already taken – those cuts are substantiallg less than the total cuts in the proposecd legislative budget, which includes an additional $90 million in universityt auxiliary fund sweeps,” said Crow in a “These funds include payments students have made for self-supporting services such as the book residence halls and cafeterias.
” Fiscal 2009 budget measures have promptes layoffs, furloughs and program cuts at the universitiesw and officials expect more cuts in the fiscao 2010 budget as the state faces a $3 billion to $4 billioh deficit. Crow said major cuts could mean closure of ASU West in northwestt Phoenix and its Polytechnic campusin Mesa. Brewer’xs budget would use federal stimulus moneyt and the sales tax increase to mitigats cuts in education andhealth care. In additioh to asking voter for the tax she is proposing a ballot proposition to alloa the Legislature toadjust voter-mandatesd spending. NAU’s Haeger has written Brewert offering to help to promotethe budget.
Brewere took over for Janet Napolitano who resigned as governoer tobecome U.S. Homeland Security secretary. Anti-tax groups oppose Brewer’s proposed sales tax increas e saying consumer spending isalreadh strained.