"Two teachers are challenging a maneuver by lawmakers to balance the state budget by taking money they say legally can go only to supporting public schools.
The lawsuit filed Friday at the state Supreme Court contends legislators are violating both constitutional provisions and state law by siphoning off 10 percent of the money that is raised from the sale of state trust lands. Attorney Tim Hogan of the Center for Law in the Public Interest said the move also runs afoul of the federal law which gave Arizona the trust lands when it became a state in 1912.
Hogan wants the high court to direct the state Land Department to return the nearly $10 million already taken from the special trust fund and a prohibition against future transfers."
The lawsuit filed Friday at the state Supreme Court contends legislators are violating both constitutional provisions and state law by siphoning off 10 percent of the money that is raised from the sale of state trust lands. Attorney Tim Hogan of the Center for Law in the Public Interest said the move also runs afoul of the federal law which gave Arizona the trust lands when it became a state in 1912.
Hogan wants the high court to direct the state Land Department to return the nearly $10 million already taken from the special trust fund and a prohibition against future transfers."
