Trio call for an increase in education funds

Three Utah legislators showed solidarity when it came to proposals to increase the funding for public education.

During a Friday afternoon legislative preview hosted by the American Society for Public Administration, Sen. Pat Jones, D-Salt Lake; House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake; and Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, shared their ideas about cutting taxes and spending the state's surplus cash. These issues are expected to dominate the 2007 legislative session that convenes Monday.

Bigelow said he had two fiscal priorities for the 2007 session: implementing some kind of tax cut and giving public education spending a boost. He said lawmakers ought to show restraint if they are tempted to use the extra money to expand government programs and that many of his lower and middle-income constituents viewed last year's income tax cut positively.

"They will affect families," he said of tax cuts, which could range from the $100 million personal income tax cut proposed by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. to the $300 million in overall tax cuts backed by House Republicans.

Bigelow said that he didn't expect any dramatic shift in the state budget. "Most of our budget will basically be reauthorized," he said.

Becker said Utah's public education situation needs attention.

"Education is key to this session more so than past sessions," he said. He explained that the achievement gap between low-income students and their peers is growing.

"It's not only unfortunate but an unacceptable condition," Becker said. He said those in government have a responsibility to give children an opportunity to succeed.

Becker also said the rate of pay for Utah's teachers is hurting the state. "We are losing teachers," he said.

Becker said last year's income tax reduction could have gone to lowering classroom sizes, and he'd like to see some of the surplus money steered toward funding Medicaid dental and eye care programs.

Jones said that while this session may not yield "huge changes in spending," there are "huge changes in the needs of our state."

Utah's burgeoning population of school-aged children and senior citizens will require the state to adapt its spending habits, she said.

She also wants the state to examine how the courts and corrections systems deal with substance abusers. "We need to start looking at prevention instead of remediation."

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