Arizona’s Brewer, other governors to meet with Obama
Feb 25, 2013, 6:48 AM | Updated: 6:49 am
PHOENIX — Gov. Jan Brewer has been in Washington for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association and Monday morning the group will gather at the White House.
The meeting comes just days before the sequester automatically cuts $85 billion of federal spending. Matt Benson with the Governor’s Office said he believes the sequester will be the focus of the meeting.
“The sequester looks like it will become reality and the state is taking as many actions as we can to prepare for that but there’s a lot of uncertainty,” Benson said.
The cuts. according to the White House. would have a major impact on the state’s defense industry and education. Arizona would
$17.7 million in funding for K-12 schools. The lost funding could result in about 240 teaching and aide jobs being put at risk.
Additionally, Arizona would lose about $10 million for 120 teachers and staff who help children with disabilities.
Head Start services would be eliminated for about 1,000 children in Arizona.
About 2,300 fewer low-income students in Arizona would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 330 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
