Thursday, May 06, 1999
House OKs $18.2B for schools
Remainder of Ohio budget still argued
BY PAUL SOUHRADA
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS — With a nod toward the continuing state Supreme Court challenge of Ohio's school funding system, the House overwhelmingly approved an $18.2 billion education budget Wednesday that calls for a record amount for primary and secondary schools over the next two years.
Lawmakers voted 87-11 in favor of a spending package that contains $13.2 billion for public schools and $5 billion for colleges and universities. Also during the two-hour debate, House members added language opening seven more school districts to charter schools — privately run public schools freed from some state regulations — and placed restrictions on a federal sex education training program.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
The House was scheduled to consider a budget for the remainder of the $40 billion in state spending proposals today. That debate likely also will include discussion over what to do with an anticipated state budget surplus and another attempt by conservatives to cut state income tax rates.
The tax cut proposal comes over the objections of Republican Gov. Bob Taft and GOP leaders in the House.
Mr. Taft, who introduced the budget in March, has made education the top priority of his administration. That's largely because of the Ohio Supreme Court ruling that said the state's system of school funding was unconstitutional, in part because it relies too heavily on local property taxes that create disparities among the state's 611 public districts.
He told reporters Tuesday that he thought the House improved his budget proposal.
Over the past several weeks, the House modifications have included:
• Eliminating Mr. Taft's promised $2,500-a-year income tax deduction for college tuition. House budget-writers instead propose giving an extra $40 million directly to the schools to freeze tuition next year for two-year degree programs and to reduce it by 5 percent the following year.
• Increasing the basic state subsidy for public school students next year an extra $14, to $4,052 per student, because of a projected decline in enrollment. The House version tacks on an extra $50 per student over what Mr. Taft proposed for the following year.
• Spending more money on special, gifted and vocational education.
• Adding $30 million for summer school programs for students having trouble passing the fourth-grade reading proficiency test.
House Republicans, as they did in finance committee Monday, quashed Democrats' attempts to limit the controversial charter school program — also known as “community schools.”
Also rejected were attempts to both expand and limit the voucher program that gives some low-income Cleveland residents money to send their children to private schools.
And though the budget received bipartisan support, one Democrat warned fellow lawmakers not to become too complacent. “I am pleased that we have taken these steps, but we have not satisfied the mandate of the court,” said Rep. Ray Miller, D-Columbus.
Three conservative Republicans joined eight Democrats in opposing the budget. The GOP members felt the budget was too large, while the Democrats generally had specific complaints with the package.
For Rep. Jerry Krupinski, D-Steubenville, it was the printouts that showed schools in his district would not receive much additional money.
“I have to face these people when I go home,” Mr. Krupinski said. “There are a lot of good things in that bill, but in good conscience, I couldn't vote for it.”
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