Posted on 02/13/2008 8:58:17 AM PST by Gopher Broke
February 13, 2008
Dear xxxxxx,
All knew that Tuesday’s news of Virginia’s Presidential primaries would dominate Wednesday’s front pages. The Governor chose this day to announce his budget cuts, including cuts to K-12 public education? Coincidence?
Undoubtedly, the Governor did his best to spare K-12 given the constraints he perceives. But, given the fact that Virginians hold education to be the most important issue before the General Assembly, should he challenge the constraints that bind him? Is his decision the best one for Virginia’s children in the long run?
At the Governor’s press conference revenue projections were downgraded. Anticipated increases in revenue were shaved substantially (2008: 3.3% to 1.2%, 2009: 3.3% to 2.3% and 2010: 6.7% to 6.8%). Total reductions for 2008-2010 biennium are $1.39 billion dollars. There will be no new revenues or tax increases according to the Governor. Thankfully, localities will be held harmless for both SOQ Payments and At-Risk funds to localities. Kaine is looking at a $420 million draw down from the Revenue Stabilization Fund (aka: Rainy Day Fund). There is a $20 million reduction in the Pre-K initiative. K-12 school construction funding will be cut by a total of $82.8 million a year. He calls for a 1% reduction in the proposed 2009-2010 salary increase for both state workers and school board employees unless revenue projections exceed expectations. In that case the 1% will be the first thing reinstated.
The current recession reveals the truth – Virginia’s tax system is inadequate to support core services when the economy isn’t hot.
A short history lesson. Gilmore blew a $1.8 billion hole in the budget when the car tax passed. Warner restored $1.4 billion in 2004. Since then we cut the sales tax on food ($.35 billion), abolished the estate tax ($.28 billion) and adopted the land preservation tax credit ($.4 billion). So, we’re $1.43 billion behind where we were when Gilmore was elected.
Which raises the question – Should we be cutting funds to public education in this time of recession, or should we look at eliminating tax cuts such as the estate tax cut and the land preservation tax credits that so disproportionately favor the wealthy? Remember, Virginia is 33rd in the nation in per-pupil state support for public education.
Thank you,
Robley Jones
VEA GR
“huh ? a reduction in an increase is a cut ?”
Yup..and that’s how it’s reported by their lap dog friends in the MSM.
“Evil Republicans cut funding for poor, education, handicapped...etc” when in reality, there was a reduction of the PROPOSED INCREASED, say from a 8% increase down to a 5% increase.
But the leftist sheep eat it up.
In Texas, the lottery has contributed more than $10 billion with a “B” to the states schools and funds.
Are the students in Texas any smarter? Are they more “educated”? Can they write a simple, direct, coherent declarative sentence that makes sense?
Do they know what the state capitol of Texas is? Can they locate the United States of America on a world map? Are they any more polite, well mannered, respectful?
Don’t count on it.
Should we be cutting funds to public education in this time of recession, or should we look at eliminating teacher penision, 100% health care benefits, and tenure.
There fixed it
Back when the SF Giants were in the cellar, but strapped with so many salary straining stars, someone offered them his services this way: For only half a million a year - a bargain salary - I will keep you in the cellar in just the same way these high priced stars are now.
So it is with the VEA, as well as the NEA. All of the huge money infusions, and still the state of American education is in the toilet. For a lot less money, we can achieve the exact same result. This is especially attractive when one considers that all the salary increases (to the honchos and their flunkies) achieved nothing in any way commensurate with the increases.
Perhaps if we didn’t have to pay to educate all the illegals in Virginia, there wouldn’t be a budget deficit to start with.
There's so much spin here, I'm about to lose my lunch.
I would agree that Gilmore blew it with the car tax (humor me, it's a long story). But as for Warner restoring the $1.4 billion, that's a bunch of hooey.
That $1.4 billion is roughly equal to the amount of SURPLUS from Gilmore's budget just before Warner enacted his $1.4 billion tax increase.
The only reason we're $1.43 billion behind where we were when Gilmore was elected. is that, instead of returning the surplus to the citizens, Warner and company raised taxes and spending with the assumption the economy would continue to grow at the same pace.
You'll never get this spin from the VEA, but this is not a matter of a budget crisis. It's a matter of overspending. It's kind of like the mortgage crisis. The state bought a house she can't afford.
Why should I remember this? Is the writer recycling the old canard that there is a correlation between dollars spent per pupil and outcome?
D.C. spends about 15K per student and has the worst outcomes in the country.
We should raise taxes “in this time of recession”?
The current recession reveals the truth – Virginia’s tax system is inadequate to support core services when the economy isn’t hot.
The moron doesn't understand that more taxes means less spending.
>Which raises the question – Should we be cutting funds to public education in this time of recession, or should we look at eliminating tax cuts such as the estate tax cut and the land preservation tax credits that so disproportionately favor the wealthy? Remember, Virginia is 33rd in the nation in per-pupil state support for public education.<
Just what happens to all of the money the state takes in from the lottery, anyway?
Leftists - and most politicians - seem to think that the taxpayers are an inexhaustible source of money.
Simply speaking as one who sees the results of the unions’ involvement in our public institutions, daily- I say, defund the education establishment COMPLETELY. Abolish the dept of ed and the cabinet seat, kick the union’s lobbyists out of DC, take away ALL fed funding and give it back to the states where the voters might be able to vote in a viable voucher system.
If the publics have to compete for students and money, watch how quickly they improve. Right now, we fund (and INCREASE those funds yearly) mediocrity, failure and juvenile delinquency.
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