Reader comments
Will Huntsman skip tax cut?

Every extra penny needs to go to education because it really isn't EXTRA! We have been underfunding public ed for way too many years.

It isn't extra money just misappropriated money. It should have been in the teachers pockets for many years now.

Time to pay up. maybe we can even get a few teachers to come back to the state instead of leave it!

I am really disappointed with the Governor. He seems to have forgotten his commitments and where that money came from. I support education, but there is ample proof that just throwing money at education won't change much without some meaningful reform. Recent events show that UEA is not really interested in reform. Governor it is time to do what you agreed, give it back to taxpayers.

No tax reductions? Great! Along with his announced agenda for the 2008 session, increased spending for teachers, insurance coverage, and the environment; all that remains for his second term is to win, and then formally announce that he really has been a secret member of the Democratic party all along!

The taxpayers are spending plenty on public education (on average $7,500 per student per year or almost $100,000 for 12.5 years). Even then, most students are not being adequately educated. The problem isn't the amount of money, but how ineffectively it is being spent. Unfortunately, too many parents and educators believe our schools are daycare facilities, not places of academic learning.

Just send it to the teachers? The point of public education isn't about giving money to teachers. The purpose of public education is to educate students.

As with any government activity, we see poor quality at a high price.

We have a child with autism who is on the waiting list for services with the state Division for Services to People with Disabilities (DSPD) -- and our child has been on that waiting list for years now -- with no likelihood of him getting OFF that list this next year either, unless the state finds additional funding for the agency.

This is almost too much for me to handle. I can't stand the fact that he's pushing the same agenda as the national Dem party. I don't have a problem with what he's doing but don't do it under the banner of the Republican party.

I would have no problem spending more money on education. The questions are where and how.

In the last 15 years the legislature has invested hundreds of millions into two education projects: Class size reduction and text books. (Actually, many but let's focus on these two.) So then they do an audit and find that literally hundreds of millions are unaccounted for. NOT that it was embezzeled but when you simply throw money into a govt agency and say "heal" it doesn't work.

In years past the legislature tried to focus money just on newly highered teachers, to create an incentive to stay in Utah for the first couple of years. The Union fought it and won.

If we increase education spending by 7%, how much do you think will end up in teachers salaries, where it should go? Maybe 3%, slightly more. Where does the rest of the money go? Down a black hole that not even state auditors can find.

The FACT is that it's not so easy, or wise, to say 'lets spend it in education.' We need to reduce the beauracracy and find ways to surgically implement funding. Anything less has already been tried, doesn't work.

After going on the website utah rights to know it looks like the teachers and even the school bus drivers get higher wages than a Utah State Correctional Officer. It just doesn't seem right that these men and women are putting their lives on the line each work day to get paid far less. Our Gov. needs to see that many Correctional Officer are leaving the department for better paying jobs.It cost the department money to educate these men and women. The agenda should be for the Utah State Correctional Officers that keep out community safe.

We need to put this money into teachers (and roads). Then we will have more leverage to demand more from our teachers. As it is, hardly anyone is drawn to become a teacher, so we pretty much have to take what comes along. Some teachers mind you are great, but there are a significant number for example who have no qualms of teaching math without teaching times tables, and math education has gone significantly down hill in most all areas since I went to school. Without quality teachers, our nation would be a back water nation, with lower taxes. We are headed that way now.

They seriously need to give the teachers of our state a $10,000 - $15,000 a year raise.

Few are becoming teachers and we are in a world of hurt already. Five years from now it is going to get really ugly unless we entice some teachers back to the state now.

Huntsman has been a HUGE mistake, what a tool, maybe he's the male Hillary. We are OVERTAXED and you idiots want to throw more of it at education. Hey idiots, you can spend zillions but if the kids don't care and mom and dad don't care, it won't matter

I too am disappointed in Governor Huntsman and others who say one thing and do other things. Our teachers have not yet gotten what was promised to them. When will that happen? I know for certain that none of these men would work as hard as teachers do and not get paid for it.
I can name another Governor who ran on a republican ticket and really down deep, I think he too is a democrat. I want honesty and integrity in government.

The money is to keep at least a few teachers here.

You don't throw it at education. You hand it to the teachers so they can feed their families.

Although I agree with you that success in school starts in the home, teachers shouldn't have to pay for it.

Rhino is Funny, This state and Feds have been Repubs for the last seven years or more and guess who is to blame? A democrat and on top of it a person that has not had the power to do anything.