by David Safier
According to the Republic,
the latest budget proposal cuts $142 million from universities, down from $175 million in the original Republican options statement but far more than the $100 million worth of pain the university said it could handle. But the cuts to K-12 are at $133 million, a third higher than the $103 million in the original options.
I'm not sure how to sort out the budgetary fancy footwork in this passage:
. . . the cut to public schools is higher than the $103 million in that original proposal, which would have taken the cut exclusively from the schools' "soft capital" budgets, which pay for such things as textbooks, computers and transportation.
The deal calls for a $21 million cut in those categories, but it would be accompanied by an agreement to not renew a program that lets schools exceed a limit on their budgets. That translates into a $98 million budget cut, though school districts with enrollments of less than 600 students would be exempt.
More cuts, moved from one area to the other. Thirty million dollars less by any other name is still thirty million dollars less.
Charter school budgets would be cut $4 million. If the playing field is anywhere near level (he said naively), that will be the same percentage of the charter school budget as the $133 million is of the K-12 budget.
Aren't charter schools K-12 public schools,fully funded by tax dollars? Why are they in a separate category with a separate funding stream?
Republicans want to pass their budget quick quick quick. Democrats say, let's wait to see what the feds are planning to kick in. Let's hear how Russell Pearce responds, shall we?
Pearce said there are good reasons to look askance at the federal dollars: They could have strings attached that would require more spending by the state, and they could promote programs the state isn't interested in.
Most importantly, Pearce said, the federal stimulus plan still needs Senate action, and it would be foolish to wait because every day that the Legislature delays action increases the deficit about $30 million.
I left in the second paragraph out of fairness, but it's clearly a dodge. Pearce doesn't want anyone raining on his budget cutting parade.
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Pearce says Federal aid “could promote programs the state isn’t interested in.”
Like education?