Education Funding Press Conference - February 24th, 2004
Democratic lawmakers announced their education funding plan.
Senator Guess on No Child Left Behind"A laudable goal, but an underfunded mandate, and we want to see some resources go to that"
022404_edpresser_01.mp3 -- mp3 audio file
Rep.Gara on why inflation proofing education funding is needed."Everybody else in the world deals with inflation, and for the legislature to pretend that it didn't exist is I think is poor policy
022404_edpresser_02.mp3 -- mp3 audio file
Rep. Gara on what School Districts are saying they want from lawmakers"The school districts all said this, we'll thank you if you prevent us from having to lay off more teachers next year, but what we really need is some help to hire back the ones we've lost in prior years, and that's what this bill aims to do."
022404_edpresser_03.mp3 -- mp3 audio file
Rep. Kapsner on why schools need more money"in order to really hold education harmless we need to appropriate more money. Because "holding it harmless" is really putting it in harm's way. If you don't take away money, but don't appropriate more money, you're just really opening the door for greater gaps of need in the classroom".
022404_edpresser_04.mp3 -- mp3 audio file
Sen. Guess wondering why there isn't more state school funding"I find it interesting that education constantly seems to be held hostage to a fiscal plan. This administration and many people ran on developing resources and we don't seem to hold resources development hostage."
022404_edpresser_05.mp3 -- mp3 audio file