If an education funding bill designed by Democrats becomes law, three Mower County school districts will have a healthier bank balance.

Saturday, April 08, 2000

If an education funding bill designed by Democrats becomes law, three Mower County school districts will have a healthier bank balance.

The Austin, Lyle and Southland school districts would receive $827,278 more this year than the Republican alternative, State Rep. Rob Leighton (DFL-Austin) said Friday, after receiving a new analysis of the two bills from legislative researchers.

House and Senate leaders are still negotiating a compromise measure in conference committee, but Leighton said he is pushing strongly for any negotiated bill to lean more toward K-12 school aid.

"One of the major differences between the legislative Republicans and Democrats this year is in our commitment to education," Leighton explained. "The Republican plan for using the budget surplus shortchanges education. The Democratic alternative, which passed the Senate, will provide more than four times as much new funding to schools in the Austin area. "

House Republicans propose to give $60 million from the budget surplus to education at all levels, while the Democratic plan provides almost four times as much, about $225 million.

"This is a defining issue, especially in light of a Minnesota Poll released today that showed that 57 percent of Minnesotans favor increased K-12 spending this year," Leighton said.

"We have to make sure our children have up-to-date textbooks. We have to get the kids out of temporary trailer-classrooms. We have to reduce class sizes and bring new technology to the classroom," Leighton said.

"That’s what the Democratic plan does. I believe we should make a strong commitment to our public schools.

"Unfortunately, the Republican budget plan focuses so heavily on tax cuts that it lacks balance and fails to meet the wide variety of needs that Minnesota families face," he said.

The House Democrats’ funding plan would send the Austin School District some $860,305 in both one-time and permanent funding this year.

The House GOP plan provides only $200,404.

Leighton also noted that the House Republicans are devoting three times as much funding to an income tax cut for people making $200,000 and up, then they are offering for education at all levels.

"I think it’s misguided to say we can afford a big tax out for just 6 percent of taxpayers but we can’t afford to give our schoolchildren up-to-date textbooks," said Leighton. "We can have tax cuts for middle-income families. But with a $ 1.8 billion surplus on hand, we have a golden opportunity to put our schools – and our kids – on track for success in the 21st Century."