The House gave initial approval Thursday to a bill that, at least in the short term, shuffles $22.5 million — not $90 million — to help offset cuts to K-12 education.
The original deal that Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs, had been working on with House Democrats would have reduced a $250 million K-12 cut in the 2011-12 budget to $160 million. But after a meeting Wednesday with Gov. John Hickenlooper’s office, it was decided to restructure the deal.
Under the House agreement, $22.5 million would be transferred from the State Education Fund, which is essentially a savings account for K-12, to offset cuts in the 2011-12 year. That would reduce the cut to $227.5 million, while still keeping a balance of more than $100 million in the State Education Fund as Hickenlooper had wanted.
Meanwhile, about $67.5 million that is expected to materialize in the state’s June revenue forecast would be held throughout the 2011-12 school year in the event revenues fall off. The state has been forced to make midyear cuts to schools the past several years.
Massey and House Democrats originally wanted to tap the $67.5 million immediately to offset the $250 million in cuts. Hickenlooper, a Democrat, expressed concern about relying on money that had yet to arrive in state coffers.
A few House Democrats bemoaned the deal, even though it took some sting out of the original proposed cuts. This is still the second year in a row of deep cuts to K-12 education, and school districts have testified about four-day weeks, canceled programs and bus service that might end.
“Let us be clear, colleagues, this is not a victory,” said Rep. Cherilyn Peniston, D-Westminster. “It is simply cutting the devastating effects (of the originally proposed cuts) on our classrooms into smaller pieces.”
But Republicans generally greeted the development as half a loaf.
“I think that this compromise and the work that’s been done on the bill is phenomenal,” said Rep. Robert Ra mirez, R-Westminster.
Even though the relief was going to be less than first thought, education groups still welcomed it.
“There’s going to be light in the tunnel now for school districts,” said Jane Urschel, deputy executive director of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
House Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, said the extra money for schools dovetailed with Republican priorities.
“We have made it one of our goals to push as much money as we can toward education during these tough budget times,” McNulty said. “Republicans understand and recognize that we need to keep teachers in classrooms and make sure that our Colorado schoolchildren are receiving the best education that they can get.”
House Minority Leader Sal Pace, D-Pueblo, said the only lawmakers who can claim credit are Massey and House Democrats.
“Massey wasn’t sitting in the House Republican office working out the details,” Pace said. “He was sitting in our office.”
The House must approve SB230 once more before it can go back to the Senate, which must accept House amendments or seek a conference.
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com
