Senate panel OKs $82M for schools, makes big cuts

PHOENIX - A Senate panel approved $82 million in court-ordered inflation aid for public schools, while at the same time eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars a year in future school funding.

Tucson Unified vote tonight may cut 187 jobs

The Tucson Unified School Distrct Governing Board will vote tonight on whether to issue pink slips to nearly 200 teachers, librarians, counselors and other certified employees.

Flight delays pile up Monday after FAA budget cuts

NEW YORK — It was a tough start to the week for many air travelers. Flight delays piled up all along the East Coast Monday as thousands of air traffic controllers were forced to take an unpaid day off because of federal budget cuts.

Tucson City Council looking to cut public-safety pensions costs

With Tucson police and fire pension costs expected to jump 20 percent next year, to $42 million, the City Council voted Tuesday to create a task force to search for ways to scale back on the costs.

Sunnyside board to vote tonight on array of cuts

The Sunnyside Unified School District is expected to take the final steps toward closing its budget deficit at tonight's special Governing Board meeting.

Tucson is still facing $15 million gap in budget

Tucson taxpayers are likely facing another year of budget cuts and service rollbacks.

Ryan Field tower may close April 7

Tucson's Ryan Airfield and three other small Arizona airports remain on a list of small airports that face closure of their contractor-operated air-traffic control towers April 7, as part of automatic federal budget cuts expected to start kicking in next week.

Sunnyside may cut teachers, programs at Ocotillo center

The Sunnyside Unified School District is considering cutting teachers and other positions at the Ocotillo Early Learning Center, scaling back the center but quelling fears about its possible closure.

TUSD to continue free full-day kindergarten

The Tucson Unified School District is guaranteeing free full-day kindergarten in the fall despite being faced with a looming $17 million budget deficit.

Sunnyside won't cut PE to close gap in budget

The Sunnyside Unified School District will not cut elementary school physical education teachers to help close its budget gap.

White House: ‘Career officials at ICE’ released illegal immigrants from custody

WASHINGTON — The White House worked Wednesday to distance itself from the recent release of illegal immigrants from federal custody, a move officials at the Department of Homeland Security suggested was necessary given looming budget cuts.

TUSD makes cut to central office staff

The TUSD Governing Board unanimously agreed Tuesday night to cut away nearly $6 million in central office, district administration and department staffs.

Sunnyside delays budget-cut actions until March 12

The Sunnyside Unified School District Governing Board will postpone its decision to make further budget cuts until next month.

Pedicone, in speech, notes TUSD gains, missteps

The Tucson Unified School District has made costly mistakes - including inefficient business practices and improper insider purchasing practices - but is moving in the right direction, Superintendent John Pedicone said Monday in his third "State of the District" address.

85 TUSD trainers, mentors could be headed back to classroom

At least 85 teachers who now spend most of their time training and mentoring other teachers could move back into the classroom in a Tucson Unified School District effort to stretch resources in the face of a budget shortfall.

Sunnyside to cut 18 teachers, close resource, wellness center

The Sunnyside Unified School District governing board voted Tuesday night to cut 18 teachers and shut down its Family Resource and Wellness Center. Eliminating that many teaching positions will increase class sizes at grade levels throughout the district.

TUSD halts plan to investigate job outsourcing

Tucson's largest school district has put the brakes on even considering outsourcing a number of functions as a way to close an impending budget deficit.

TUSD OKs cuts, looks to outsource

The Tucson Unified School District will eliminate an estimated 19 teachers, 10 assistant principals and an undetermined number of counselors, librarians and administrative workers to help close a $17 million budget gap.

General Dynamics blames defense cuts for $2B loss

WASHINGTON - One of the nation's largest federal contractors reported a $2 billion loss Wednesday and blamed it on defense cuts, a sign that the government spending that provided the rocket fuel for the Washington area's decadelong economic expansion is now dissipating.

Money squeeze cuts basic services at CPS

PHOENIX - Basic services for families are being cut at Arizona's child-welfare agency as it tries to adjust to a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, and documents obtained by the Arizona Republic show budget problems threaten to limit supervised visits between parents and their children.