On behalf of Arizona students, who lost
“their” much-used , beloved, and very historic Mining and Mineral Museum as we
celebrated Arizona’s centennial, I ask you to please vote “yes” on
SB1200.
Four-plus years ago I spoke on their behalf, with the many petitions
they had gathered, at a similar hearing
to save the MMM. I participated in drafting the amendments to
the law, and it passed and was signed into law.
The students were ecstatic, they had participated in AZ democracy at
work. Then they saw AZ democracy fail, and the doors of the MMM were slammed
even as school fieldtrips were scheduled.
The action was abrupt, hostile, unauthorized, and unnecessary. The money
to fund a different museum was never raised, and the building stands
empty. It is not our proudest moment!!
I have been doing earth science presentations
at schools for the past years, in order to help the victims –our students,
teachers, and schools. While successful,
what I and others do cannot begin to provide the excellent service they enjoyed
from the Mining and Mineral Museum. The students know about SB1200 and I have
discussed it as “corrective legislation” and they are again out getting
petitions to send to Governor Ducey.
After telling them that they must pass a civics test to graduate from
high school, it’s time for us to show them democracy is alive and well in
AZ. There is no reason to not pass
SB1200, a budget-neutral bill. The people who helped with the cost-effective
MMM, like myself, are standing in the wings ready to restore it under the respected AZ Geological Survey.
Thank-you,
Mardy Zimmermann
Outreach and Education Coordinator,
Earth Science Museum
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