01-13-22: School Spending, Maryvale, Free Libraries

TED: COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WHY ARIZONA SCHOOLS COULD TAKE A SIGNIFICANT FUNDING HIT IF STATE LAWMAKERS DON'T RAISE AN EDUCATION SPENDING CAP.

>>> ON CRONKITE NEWS, STROKES IN BABIES WHILE STILL IN THE WOMB ARE RARE.

MEET ONE LITTLE GUY WHO HAS BEATEN THE ODDS?

>>> ON "BREAK IT DOWN," WHAT THE NCAA'S NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS POLICY MEANS FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES?

ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE U.S. HOUSE TODAY APPROVED NEW LEGISLATION THAT COMBINES TWO MAJOR VOTING RIGHTS BILLS IN AN EFFORT TO PUSH THE SENATE TO DEBATE IF NOT VOTE ON THE MEASURE.

DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN REUBEN GALLEGO AMONG THE YES VOTES TODAY AND DURING A FLOOR SPEECH CALLED OUT ONE SENATOR IN PARTICULAR.

>> ON JANUARY 6, WE WITNESSED A VIOLENT COUP ATTEMPT FUELED BY A BIG LIE.

OUR COUNTRY FORCED THE SLOW MOVING COUP VOTER SUPPRESSION, THE STATE SENATE WOULD RATHER WASTE TAXPAYER MONEY IN A SHAM AUDIT INSTEAD OF UPHOLDING THE MOST SACRED DEMOCRATIC RIGHT, THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

WE WON'T SHRINK FROM PROTECTING OUR DEMOCRACY AND THE VOTING RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS.

IT'S PAST TIME, THE U.S. SENATE AND SENATOR SINEMA TO DO THE SAME.

TED: SHORTLY AFTER THE HOUSE VOTE, SENATOR KYRSTEN SINEMA WENT TO THE SENATE FLOOR AND REITERATED HER STANCE ON THE FILIBUSTER.

>> THE DEBATE OVER THE SENATE 60-VOTE THRESHOLD SHINES A LIGHT ON OUR BROADER CHALLENGES.

THERE'S NO NEED FOR ME TO RESTATE MY LONGSTANDING SUPPORT FOR THE 60-VOTE THRESHOLD TO PASS LEGISLATION.

THERE'S NO NEED FOR ME TO RESTATE ITS ROLE PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY FROM WILD REVERSALS AND FEDERAL POLICY.

TED: THAT SAID, SINEMA DID EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE TWO MAJOR VOTING RIGHTS BILLS IN QUESTION.

>> THESE BILLS HELP TREAT THE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE, BUT THEY DO NOT FULLY ADDRESS THE DISEASE ITSELF.

WHILE I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THESE BILLS, I WILL NOT SUPPORT SEPARATE ACTIONS THAT WORSEN THE UNDERLYING DISEASE OF DIVISION INFECTING OUR COUNTRY.

TED: SINEMA'S COMMENTS ON THE FILIBUSTER ARE CONSIDERED A MAJOR SETBACK FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN'S RECENT CALL TO CHANGE SENATE RULES IF NECESSARY TO PASS THE VOTING RIGHTS LEGISLATION.

THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TODAY BLOCKED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S VACCINE AND TESTING MANDATE FOR LARGE BUSINESSES, MANDATE CALLS FOR WORKERS AT LARGE COMPANIES TO VACCINATED AGAINST COVID OR WEAR MASKS AND BE TESTED WEEKLY.

THE COURT BLOCKED THAT REQUIREMENT BY A 6-3 VOTE.

THEY DID NOT BLOCK THE ADMINISTRATION'S MANDATE REQUIRING HEALTH CARE WORKERS TO BE VACCINATED IF THEY RECEIVE MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PROGRAMS.

>>> SENATE PRESIDENT KAREN FANN IS TELLING CYBER NINJAS TO TURN OVER PUBLIC RECORDS REGARDING THE SELF-STYLED AUDIT OF MARICOPA COUNTY VOTES.

THEY WERE FIND $50,000 A DAY FOR DEFYING A COURT ORDER TO HAND THE RECORDS OVER TO THE SENATE.

REPUBLIC REPORTS THAT FAILURE TO TURN OVER THE DOCUMENTS MAY RESULT IN, QUOTE, SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES FOR ANY ORGANIZATION OR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE.

>>> AND TODAY'S COVID UPDATE SHOWS A STATE PASSING THE 25,000 MARK FOR KNOWN COVID-RELATED FATALITIES WITH TEN NEW DEATHS ADDED TODAY MAKING FOR 432 FATALITIES IN ARIZONA IN THE PAST WEEK ALONE.

THE STATE REPORTED MORE THAN 18,500 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 AS THE OMICRON SPIKE CONTINUES.

HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR COVID ARE UP TO CLOSE TO 3,000 WITH ONLY 78 ICU BEDS AVAILABLE STATEWIDE.

>>> ARIZONA SCHOOLS ARE FACING A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL HIT AS STATE LAWMAKERS DON'T RAISE THE SPENDING LIMIT BY MARCH 1.

THE DIRECTOR OF ARIZONA RELATIONS JOINED US EARLIER TODAY TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUE.

CHUCK ESSIGS, GOOD TO SEE YOU, BEEN AWHILE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL SPENDING ON EDUCATION, LET'S GET A BASIC UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

>> OKAY, WHEN THE LEGISLATURE REDID THE FORMULA FOR REFUNDING SCHOOLS IN 1980, THEY DID TWO THINGS, LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT AND PUT A LIMIT ON THEMSELVES.

THEY SAID THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO ADOPT SPENDING LIMITS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SO EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SETS LIMITS EACH YEAR AND PUT A PROVISION IN THE CONSTITUTION THAT WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE SPENDING THAT'S COVERED BY THE LIMIT, THE MAJORITY OF SPENDING EXCEPT FEDERAL FUNDS AND OVERRIDES OF BONDS THAT VOTERS VOTE ON, WHEN YOU COUNT ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, IT CAN'T BE OVER WHATEVER WAS BUDGETED TO BE SPENT IN '79- '80, ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION AND INCREASES IN STUDENTS.

THAT SOUNDED PRETTY GOOD IN 1980, BUT WE'RE FOUR DECADES PAST THAT AND A LOT OF THE THINGS SCHOOLS DO TODAY AREN'T ANYWHERE CLOSE TO WHAT THEY DID IN 1980.

WE HAVE THINGS LIKE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, ALL THE EXPENDITURES COUNT AGAINST THE LIMIT BUT WEREN'T IN THE BASE WHEN IT GOT STARTED.

SPECIAL EDUCATION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS, WE HAVE EXTENSIVE SPECIAL ED PROGRAMS TODAY THAT COST A LOT MORE.

SO JUST GOING UP BY INFLATION AND CHANGES IN STUDENTS DOESN'T REFLECT ALL OF THE EXPENDITURES, BUT IN MOST CASES WE STILL STAYED UNDER THE LIMIT, JUST BARELY.

TED: CHUCK, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED HERE.

ARIZONA CONSISTENTLY RANKS AT OR NEAR THE BOTTOM AS FAR AS EDUCATION SPENDING IS CONCERNED.

HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE HITTING A SPENDING CAP WHEN WE'RE SPENDING SO LITTLE?

>> BECAUSE WE WERE BELOW THE LIMIT IN 1979-80.

THE OTHER STATES -- WE WERE CLOSER TO THE NATIONAL LIMIT.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS WE'RE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE THE AVERAGE STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOLS IN ARIZONA, THEY HAVE ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE REVENUE AVAILABLE THAT THE AVERAGE STUDENT IN THE COUNTRY HAS.

WE'RE LOW SPENDING, WE'RE 50 OR 49th, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY.

THAT'S WHY WE HADN'T CONFRONTED THE PROBLEM A LOT BEFORE THIS TIME, BUT NOW BECAUSE OF ESPECIALLY SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH WHAT USED TO NOT COUNT UNDER THE LIMIT HAS BEEN PUT UNDER THE LIMIT AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS WHY WE'RE OVER THE LIMIT FOR THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.

TED: OKAY, WHICH TAKES OUR ATTENTION TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

WHAT DO LAWMAKERS NEED TO DO TO OVERRIDE THE SPENDING CAP?

>> THEY JUST NEED TO PASS A RESOLUTION, AND DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR LIKE REGULAR LEGISLATION.

THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE HAVE TO PASS THE SAME RESOLUTION, THAT BASICALLY WOULD SAY FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, THE YEAR WE'RE IN, THEY'RE OVERRIDING THE LIMIT AND ALLOWING DISTRICTS TO SPEND THE DOLLARS THEY ALREADY HAVE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MONEY IS HERE, THE TAX VES BEEN PAID, THE LEGISLATURE IS APPROPRIATED, THE MONEY.

THERE IS NO NEW APPROPRIATIONS NEEDED, NO TAXES THAT ARE NEEDED, JUST GIVE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND THE DOLLARS YOU AUTHORIZED THEM TO RAISE BY THE CURRENT LEGISLATION.

TED: IS A TWO-THIRDS VOTE NEEDED IN BOTH CHAMBERS?

>> YES, I'M SORRY, A TWO-THIRDS VOTE IS NEEDED IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

TED: PEOPLE WILL SAY LOOK OUT, THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE IN THE PAST, CORRECT?

>> EVERY TIME WE'VE COMPETED THE LIMIT, SOME PEOPLE SAY IT'S THREE TIMES, SOME PEOPLE SAY FIVE TIMES BUT BEEN A FEW TIMES, EVERY ONE OF THE YEARS, THEY OVERRODE THE LIMIT, WHENEVER IT HAPPENED.

IN FACT, BACK IN RIGHT AFTER PROP 301, THE CLASSROOM SITE FUND PASSED WITH INCREASE OF SIX-TENTH PERCENT, THAT PUT US OVER THE LIMIT, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PEOPLE DIDN'T REALIZE THEY NEEDED AUTHORIZIZATION TO DO THAT.

TED: SO LAWMAKERS CAN DO THIS, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THIS?

COULD THEY REFER TO THE BALLOT?

WHAT GOES ON HERE?

>> THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO OVERRIDE THAT LIMIT BY MARCH 1.

IF THEY DO NOT OVERRIDE THE LIMIT BY MARCH 1, SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL BE TOLD BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BY LAW HAS TO DO IT.

HERE'S HOW FAR YOU'RE OVER THE LIMIT, AND YOU HAVE TO REDUCE YOUR BUDGETS DOWN, THAT'S A $1.2 BILLION REDUCTION, A 16% REDUCTION IN DISTRICT SPENDING, WHICH THEY WOULD BE FORCED TO DO IF THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T APPROVE OVERRIDING IT BY MARCH 1.

TED: CAN SCHOOLS EVEN DO THAT CONSIDERING THIS STUFF IS BUDGETED ALREADY AND THEY SPENT THE MONEY?

THREE MONTHS LEFT IN THE SCHOOL YEAR?

>> THREE MONTHS LEFT IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.

MANY DISTRICTS THAT I TALKED TO, THEIR RESPONSE IS THIS IS A CLIFF THAT WILL JUST DECIMATE THE PROGRAMS, THEY HAVE TO CUT SO MANY PROGRAMS, THEY HAVE TO LAY SO MANY PEOPLE OFF.

CUT TEACHER POSITIONS AND SALARIES AND A NUMBER OF THEM SAY, WE WON'T BE ABLE, WE'LL HAVE TO CLOSE OUR SCHOOL YEAR DOWN EARLY.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO CONTINUE FINISHING OUT TO THE SCHOOL YEAR IN MAY.

SO IT'S -- IT'S INTERESTING WHEN YOU TALK TO SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THIS ISN'T SERIOUS, IS IT?

THIS CAN'T HAPPEN.

BECAUSE IT'S SO DISMAL IN TERMS OF WHERE WE WOULD BE BECAUSE OF THAT, AND SECONDLY, THEY HAVE THE MONEY.

THEY ADOPTED BUDGETS THE LEGISLATURE TOLD THEM THEY COULD ADOPT.

THE LEGISLATURE IS SAYING AND WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WANT IS THE LEGISLATURE TO DO THIS QUICKLY, DON'T WAIT UNTIL MARCH AND DON'T MAKE PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND FACULTY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WORRY ABOUT IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OR NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

DO IT RIGHT NOW.

THE MONEY IS THERE.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ARGUMENTS ABOUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF PROPOSITION 208.

THE MONEY THAT INCREASED THE TAXES ON PEOPLE MAKING MORE THAN $400,000, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S NOT ONE PENNY AND THE STATE HAS TOLD THE COURT, THERE'S NOT ONE PENNY OF 208 DOLLARS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

SO OVERRIDING THE LIMIT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO ALLOW DISTRICTS TO SPEND ANY OF THAT 208 MONEY.

THERE'S NOT IN AND NOT GOING TO BE ONE PENNY OF THAT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

TED: LAST QUESTION, THIS IS AN OVERRIDE FOR THIS YEAR.

WHAT HAPPENS IN COMING YEARS?

ARE WE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS EVERY SINGLE TIME?

>> WE ARE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS FOR SURE.

WHAT HAPPENED IS WITH THE CLASSROOM SITE FUND MONEYS, MONEYS FROM THE SIX-TENTHS INCREASE IN SALES TAX, WITH THAT NOT BEING EXEMPT, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOT CALCULATED IN THE LIMIT BUT COUNT AGAINST THE LIMIT.

WE'LL BE OVER FOR THE NEXT TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE.

THIS HAPPENED ONE OTHER TIME BACK IN 19 -- 2000 WHEN PROP 301 WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.

THIS SAME THING HAPPENED.

THEY FORGOT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO EXEMPT THE REVENUES.

SO WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY OVERRODE THE LIMIT FOR ONE YEAR, AND THEN THEY PUT BACK ON THE BALLOT FOR THE VOTERS TO APPROVE MAKING THOSE REVENUES EXEMPT FROM THE LIMIT, AND THAT WORKED BACK THEN, AND, YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR HALL AND THE LEADERS IN THE STATE ALL WORKED TO GET THE LIMIT OF AN OVERRIDE OF THE LIMIT BUT TO GET IT INCREASED WHEN THE LEGISLATURE IMPROVED, THE CLASSROOM SITE FUND MONEY, WHICH ONLY GOOD FOR 20 YEARS, IT EXPIRED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, THEY FORGOT TO DO THE SAME THING, IT'S NOT VOTER APPROVED, IT WAS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE, IT COUNTS AGAINST THE LIMIT.

THEY COULD MAKE A BIG FIX JUST BY GETTING FOR FUTURE YEARS.

THEY DON'T NEED TO DO IT FOR THIS YEAR, OVERRIDE THE LIMIT FOR THIS YEAR BUT PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, AND MAYBE LOOK AT AGGREGATE LIMIT DONE FOUR DECADES AGO, THE RIGHT THING TO LIMIT THE PROGRAMS AND THE SERVICES THAT SCHOOLS PROVIDE TODAY.

I DON'T THINK IT DOES.

ALREADY VERY, VERY LOW SPENDING SO IT'S NOT LIKE A PROBLEM THAT WE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH ON EDUCATION, I BELIEVE, AND SO DO A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE JUST DON'T SPEND ENOUGH, BUT WE DON'T NEED AN AGGREGATE LIMIT THAT'S PREVENTING DISTRICTS FROM SPENDING DOLLARS, TAX DOLLARS AND STATE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE ON-HAND.

TED: SIMPLE SOLUTION TO A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.

CHUCK ESSIGS, GOOD SEEING YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD SEEING YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

TED: UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A FOCUSED EFFORT TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE AND COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS IN MARYVALE.

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TED: THE MARYVALE ONE SQUARE MILE INITIATIVE AIMS TO SUPPORT FOCUSED DIVISIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WE LEARNED MORE FROM ERIK COLE DIRECTOR OF ASU'S DESIGN STUDIO FOR ARIZONA SOLUTIONS.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE AS WE TALK ABOUT THE MARYVALE ONE SQUARE MILE INITIATIVE, AND THAT'S PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.

WHAT'S THE INITIATIVE ALL ABOUT?

IT INVOLVES THE ONE SQUARE MILE OF MARYVALE.

>> IT DOES.

WE'RE A SPACE BASED INITIATIVE AND TRYING TO DO COMPREHENSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND OUR WHOLE APPROACH IS LEARNING FROM AND LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY PUTTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AT THE CENTER OF SOLUTIONS FOR SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE COMMUNITY FACES.

TED: INSTEAD OF GOING WHY MARYVALE, YOU FOCUS ON ONE SQUARE MILE.

>> PHOENIX HAS 13 VILLAGES, MARYVALE IS THE LARGEST AND THE MOST POPULOUS, NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW, IT'S OVER 200,000 PEOPLE.

WHEN I CAME TO ARIZONA, MY BOSS AT THE TIME, OUR DEAN'S WHOSE VISION IT WAS SAID LET'S GO TO MARYVALE AND DO A PLACE-BASED INITIATIVE.

I REALIZED IT'S 35 SQUARE MILES.

WE HAD TWO AREAS WE WERE FOCUSED ON.

ONE IN THE CARTWRIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE ISAAC SCHOOL DISTRICT.

TED: HOW WERE THEY CHOSEN AND WHY?

>> WE DID ANALYSIS WHERE THE DEMOGRAPHICS POINTED TO WHERE THE INCOME LEVELS WERE THE LOWEST IN SOME CASES, BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHERE THERE WERE COMMUNITY ASSETS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, KIND OF READY TO ENGAGE, AND BOTH OF THESE MADE SENSE.

TED: THE AREA'S NEEDS, WHAT DO YOU SEE OUT THERE?

>> WELL, OVERALL, MARYVALE'S ANNUAL INCOME FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS AROUND $30,000, WHEREAS ACROSS MARICOPA COUNTY IT'S AROUND $70,000.

SO SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER INCOME, AND INTERESTING HISTORY.

MARYVALE STARTED OUT AS A PLANNED UNIT, THE FIRST PLANNED COMMUNITY IN ARIZONA'S HISTORY.

25,000 AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR GIs RETURNING FROM WORLD WAR II, AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE COMPLEXION AND THE MAKEUP OF THE COMMUNITY IS VERY DIFFERENT NOW.

OVER 89% OF THE FOLKS COME FROM OUT OF THE COUNTRY OR FROM LATINX DESCENT.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF LANGUAGES, LOT OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND WE FIND IT TO BE A VERY VIBRANT COMMUNITY WITH GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.

TED: THAT SAID, THINGS LIKE HEALTH, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, TRANSPORTATION, ALL OF THESE ISSUES PROBABLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

>> THEY DO.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS FORTUNATE ABOUT THE WAY WE APPROACH IT IS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON ALL THE ISSUES, RIGHT?

WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIZES.

SO WE HADN'T DONE MUCH AROUND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, BUT IN 2020, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ONE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAME TO US AND NOW WE PUT THIS PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER TO FOCUS ON DIGITAL EQUITY WITH ASU'S HELP.

TED: HOW DO YOU ENSURE COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP OF THE EFFORT?

>> SO IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL AN ENGAGEMENT FEEDBACK LOOP PROCESS.

BASICALLY BOIL IT DOWN TO WE LISTEN, NOT TO HEAR -- WE LISTEN SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND.

WE USE OUR -- WE HAVE ASSETS AND RESEARCH CAPABILITIES BUT USUALLY ARE BRINGING THAT BACK TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

HEY, DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA SHOWS?

AND THEN WE REALLY JUST CONNECT PEOPLE.

WE TRY TO HAVE PRETTY BASIC CONVERSATIONS, NOT CENTERING US AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT CENTERING THE COMMUNITY ITSELF AND TRY TO CONNECT THOSE.

WE HAVE A YOUTH PROVIDER NETWORK WE STARTED LAST YEAR DURING THE PANDEMIC, FOLKS THAT WORK ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

IN SCHOOL, OUT OF SCHOOL, EMPLOYMENT, SPORTS, ACTIVITIES.

TED: OKAY, HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON, AND WHAT KIND OF RESULTS HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING?

>> WE'RE IN OUR THIRD YEAR.

THE FIRST PERIOD OF OUR -- FIRST PHASE OF OUR WORK WAS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD TRUST.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR CENTER FOCUSES ON AND LIVES BY IS THE BEST PARTNERSHIPS DO MOVE AT THE SPEED OF TRUST, SO WE REALLY HAD TO, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCE OURSELVES AS SUPPORT, AS CONVENERS, AS FACILITATORS, NOT AS, OKAY, HERE COMES THE BIG UNIVERSITY TO SAVE THE DAY.

WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED TO BRING ABOUT.

WE HAVE THIS ACTIVE FREE WI-FI PROGRAM WHERE ASU UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY OFFICE IS PROVIDING THE TECHNOLOGY, AND WE HAVE AN AREA AROUND ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE ISAAC DISTRICT WHERE WE'RE OFFERING FREE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET, AND SO PART OF OUR WORK IS TO KNOCK DOORS AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THAT.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROJECT AND REWARDING, ERIK COLE, ASU DESIGN STUDIO FOR COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE, THANK YOU.

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TED: THE READ AND COLOR INITIATIVE AT LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES IS PUSHING TO MAKE READING NOR EQUITABLE AND BRING AWARENESS TO THE DIVERSE POPULATION OF YOUNG READERS IN ARIZONA, WE SPOKE WITH GREIG METZGER ABOUT THE READ AND COLOR PROGRAM.

GREIG METZGER, WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

WE TALK ABOUT THE READ AND COLOR PROGRAM WITH LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES.

DEFINE TERMS FOR US HERE FIRST, WHAT ARE LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES?

>> SURE, THEY'RE A GLOBAL NETWORK OF BOOK EXCHANGE, BOOK-SHARING BOXES.

THEY'RE 135,000 AROUND THE WORLD, 113 COUNTRIES AND ALL SEVEN CONTINENTS, AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO FIND A BOOK, IF YOU HAVE A BOOK YOU HAVE READ, SHARE IT, AND IF YOU WANT WITHIN, YOU CAN SHARE WITH OTHERS.

TED: WHAT'S THE READ AND COLOR PROGRAM ALL ABOUT?

>> THE GENESIS CAME OUT OF THE CIVIL UNREST IN GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER IN MAY OF 2020.

WE'RE BASED NEAR THE TWIN CITIES, AND ALL OF THAT CHAOS, WE AS AN ORGANIZATION DECIDED WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO HOPEFULLY INSTILL GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THAT WAS THE INITIATIVE OR THE LAUNCH OF THE READ AND COLOR PROGRAM WHICH IS ALL ABOUT SHARING DIVERSE AUTHORS IN COMMUNITIES THROUGH -- AND DIVERSE BOOKS THROUGH THE NETWORK OF LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES.

TED: SO AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE TO GET A BOOK FOR MAYBE A YOUNG BLACK KID, CAN READ A BOOK AND SEE A BLACK DOCTOR AND SAY, I CAN DO THAT TOO?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

UNFORTUNATE STATE OF THE WORLD IS THE VAST MAJORITY OF BOOKS, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, AND THE MAIN PROTAGONIST IS WHITE OR AN ANIMAL.

THE NUMBER IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 75%.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ONE'S SELF IN A BOOK CAN ONLY POTENTIALLY EXCITE THAT READER TO WANT TO READ MORE, READ MORE BOOKS, BE A BETTER READER AND JUST IN GENERAL HAVE A MORE SATISFACTORY LIFE.

TED: HOW WOULD THE BOOKS, HOW ARE THEY SELECTED?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

SO WE HAVE A PANEL OF ADVISERS THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY DIVERSE AUTHORS, DIVERSE PUBLISHERS, AS WELL AS LEADERS IN ACADEMIA THAT HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LISTS, AND TO BE CLEAR, OUR RECOMMENDED READ AND COLOR LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE.

IT IS JUST THAT.

A RECOMMENDATION.

THERE ARE GREAT NUMBER OF BOOKS OUT THERE FOR SURE.

TED: AND PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT, LOTS OF THEM?

WHO ARE THEY?

>> YEAH, SO IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS, IN PHOENIX, WE WORKED WITH SOUTHWEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE VALLEY LEADERSHIP GROUP, AND THE PHOENIX ROTARY 100, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AS WE'VE EXPANDED IT NATIONALLY.

WE'RE BRINGING BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS TOGETHER IN THE SPAN OF A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND A HALF.

WE HAVE OVER 60 PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TED: AND THE RESPONSE TO THE READ AND COLOR INITIATIVE, HOW IS IT GOING?

>> INCREDIBLY POSITIVE.

WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM BOTH INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS OTHER LITERACY ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER CORPORATIONS THAT ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET NECESSARILY INVOLVED.

AND THE GREAT THING IS IT'S NOT COMPLICATED.

IT IS EASY TO DO.

YOU JUST NEED TO FIND A DIVERSE BOOK AND SHARE IT, EVEN A BARE MINIMUM.

SO WE'RE EXCITED NOT ONLY TO EXPAND THROUGH 2021 IN PHOENIX, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO ROLLING IT OUT TO MORE LOCATIONS IN 2022.

TED: I WAS GOING TO SAY WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE READ AND COLOR PROGRAM?

AND WHAT IS NEXT FOR LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES?

>> RIGHT.

FOR US, WE CONTINUE TO BE FOCUSED ON BOOK ACCESS AND INSPIRING OUR NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT THAT, AND I WOULD BE REMISS OF NOT THANKING THE VOLUNTEERS, STEWARDS IS WHAT WE CALL THEM.

FOR THE READ AND COLOR PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE PLANS RIGHT NOW IN THE BOOKS, IF YOU WILL, TO EXPAND IN THE WEST COAST AND PROBABLY OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTH AS WELL AS TO REINVEST AND EXPAND OUR PRESENCE IN THE CITIES THAT WE'VE ALREADY LAUNCHED, INCLUDING IN PHOENIX, AND THAT'S SUPPORTING THE EXISTING INSTALLATIONS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED AS WELL AS FINDING NEW LOCATIONS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL READ AND COLOR LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES.

TED: THE READ AND COLOR INITIATIVE AT LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

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TED: THAT IS IT FOR YOU IN, I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN FINDING THE BEST MASK TO PROTECT AGAINST COVID?

>>> AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," WHAT THE NCAA'S NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS POLICY MEANS FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES?