Governor's Budget Doesn't Address School Cuts
No plans to restore school budget cuts
Gov. John Kasich spoke at Tuesday's press conference announcing Ford Motor Co. will bring production of its F-650 and F-750 trucks to the Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake in 2014.
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Recently the governor unveiled the Mid-Biennium Review (MBR) which is fancy language for revisiting the two-year budget in its second year. As a member of Finance Committee, I have been listening to weeks of testimony about adjustments being proposed by the administration.
I am very concerned about what is not in the proposed HB 487. First, the governor had promised that he would step forward this year with his proposed school funding formula. There is no mention of it in the bill. Also of concern is that there is no talk of restoration of the massive cuts made last year to K-12 education (over $1 billion), local governments (over $600 million), higher education and more. These cuts are leading to more local school levy issues, cuts in teachers and cuts in local safety forces. With revenue running about $180 million above projections, I have asked why we are not restoring those cuts to help taxpayers at the local level. The answers have been very clear that the administration hasn’t considered and won’t consider restoring the cuts using our excess revenue.
You may have read recently that Cleveland Schools are looking at a very large levy campaign. Their schools are facing a projected $65-million dollar deficit after losing $59-million just last year from the Governor’s cuts. He is also suggesting an unfunded reading proficiency program which will result in an unfunded mandate for our schools at a time when they are struggling financially. This all comes at a time when the administration is talking about tax breaks for banks in Ohio. I will continue to fight to restore funding for our schools and local communities. We should always make school funding a priority in Ohio because it is critical to our children and to our economic future. Our children and our communities must come first.
I hope you’ll make plans to join me for my next “Lundy Listens” town hall meeting Saturday May 5 at 11 a.m. at the Grafton-Midview Public Library (983 Main St., Grafton). I look forward to updating you on activity in Columbus. Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have about state government at district57@ohr.state.oh.us or 614-644-5076. I work for you and look forward to serving you.
Jerry Amato
9:14 am on Friday, April 13, 2012
But yes, we still continue to build SOUND BARRIERS along our highways because THEY are important.
Dave D
9:14 am on Friday, April 13, 2012
You want the Governor to restore school funding with excess revenue? What excess revenue? The we all heard is that the state is operating at a deficit, like the federal government and many local governments. It should fall on the shoulders of local taxpayers. Let the taxpayers in each school district decide if they want to fund their schools. If they do, they will, if they don't want to they won't.
When I went to school in the 50s and 60s our class sizes were 30-35. If you mention such a thing now, you have the wrath of the teachers and unions to face.
We need a 10&1/2 month school year to bring our education system up to par with the rest of the world. We are spending more per pupil than any other country in the world. Too bad we don't rank that high in performance.
Anthony Benandetti
12:19 am on Sunday, April 15, 2012
Dave you're right the tax payers should decide to fund or not fund education on a local level. If we could just prioritize our needs. Maybe if everyone just skipped an expensive coffee or overpriced bagel each morning we could dedicate that money to education. Afterall what we each pay for an unhealthy breakfast each day surpasses the cost of a tax payers contribution for education. Of course, whoever runs these education killing coffee shops would go broke, but it would be for a good cause. When I went to school in the seventies coffee was .10 a cup. Talk about excessive cost for efucation - these little starbucks wannabe stores are stealing our childrens education.
I say we all boycot these over priced places and use our money for the children. Plus its better for our health too.
Victor Mooney
5:37 pm on Friday, April 13, 2012
Fact: There were no budget cuts to school funding by the State Government---the budget paid K-12 and Higher education as much and in some cases more than the previous administration----The shortfall in Funding was the result of the lack of federal
funds which were evident in the last round.---Mr Lundy needs to settle the blame on his buddy, Obama ---where it belongs.
We will see in the near future how Mr Lundy will spend his efforts , when the Pensions and Benefits of the teachers and state employees begins to take 95% + of the education Bucget.
Thank You for your kind attention!
Damon koch
6:52 pm on Friday, April 13, 2012
The reason for the teachers and other public sector workers being laid off is the failure of issue 2. This is what everyone said would happen, yet the unions would rather let people lose their jobs than to give up the golden benefits that they receive. In Wisconsin, where public sector workers were asked to pay into their own health insurance and pensions by about three percent, the results are amazing. Some districts have gone from millions in deficiet to budget surpluses. It is more than coincidental that our students have gone from the top to the bottom in the world since education was federalized in the 1970s and power over it was given to the unions. The union's only concern is extracting more and more benefits from taxpayers who make half what the average teacher makes.
Ben Bradley
12:26 pm on Saturday, April 14, 2012
Mr mooney prove your point sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me. Why dont you small business tea baggers just send the kids to china for an education. You sold the rest of our country to china, why stop at the at the kids. Kasich is a criminal, republicans should be jailed, and tea party fools should be burned at the stake.
Good job blaming unions and the black guy though.
Victor Mooney
1:33 pm on Sunday, April 15, 2012
Mr Bradley: The "Unions" and the "Black Guy"--[your terminology, not mine], will go down in history as the most destructive partnership in world history---the " Proof" which you seek is readily available . Get off Facebook and the match dating sites, and whatever you entertain yourself with---and inform yourself----stop gobbling the union regurgitation and find our for yourself---everything I post is fact---if you dispute some of my information---give me an argument --- in about 200 words you have insulted about 90% of the population, without knowing any of them or stating anything other than the typical liberal line---your attack of people whom you do not know, with such hate, vitriol, and violence, brings harm and scorn on no-one but yourself! You are about to witness the collapse of the Greatest Experiment of Freedom in recorded history, brought on at least in large part, by Labor Unions, and their willing cohorts in busines, [George Soros], and government; "The Black Guy", [again your description, not mine], and your answer is to go back to the Inquisition, excuse me, that`s when they burned thousands,[1350 A. D.-1500 A. D.] at the stake, because they disagreed with them. But, I admit, your diatribe will bring you accolades from those you admire---but it impresses not those who are in the arena, attempting to stop the slide or offer solutions---take a look around you, Ohio is bleeding jobs at a rate equivilant to a sinking "Titanic"-Thank You for your kind attention!