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Thursday, January 24, 2008
An End to Austerity?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Could this finally be the year state lawmakers end the long-running, erroneously named “temporary reductions” in Georgia’s education budget?
After six years, some key Republican officials are actually starting to speak out against annual cuts in the state’s K-12 funding formula, which Gov. Sonny Perdue initiated during his first year in office because of a severe deficit.
During state budget hearings Wednesday, state Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox admitted she was “disappointed” that Perdue plans to continue the so-called austerity reductions next school year.
According to today’s story by legislative reporter James Salzer, House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans) also voiced reservations about continuing the cuts, which now total more than $1.4 billion.
“We keep coming up with new programs, and we’re funding those,” Harbin said. “Maybe it’s time to stop with the top-down programs and allow that money to get to the [school] systems.”
At a separate meeting for education reporters Wednesday, state Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth) — a former school administrator who leads the House Education Committee — said he and other legislative leaders would be looking for ways to end the formula cuts this year.
“Money is an acceptable way to say, ‘I love you,’” he quipped. “But money is not the key. … We’ve got to fully restore [the funding] and take it where it should be, then we need to look at doing two or three more [policy] things.”
State Sen. Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody), chairman of the Senate Education and Youth Committee, agreed — although, Weber doesn’t view ending the cutbacks as a priority.
“It’s a lot of money. It can make a difference. But I don’t think it will turn around school districts,” he said of the $141.5 million proposed cut for next year. “Some of the other issues we’re talking about will.”
UPDATE: Those who may not understand the ramifications of the K-12 formula cuts might want to check out Maureen Downey’s latest editorial. She cogently lays out the problems for all to see.
