Comments about ‘Utah Legislature: House leaders promise to restore $21 million to public education’

Finally, state legislators start thinking about the funding of education in our state. How sad that it wasn't more of a priority sooner in the session. Education is an investment in all of our future. We need to remember this is all of our decision-making.

Here's a clue for next years budget: stop giving away state services to illegal aliens and their families. Fine heavily ANYONE who employs illegal aliens!
Cut the salaries of state government bureaucrats who make over 100k per year to an amount BELOW that!

Or: just raise taxes since thats what the legislature prefers to do anyway!

There's no reason in the world that state bureaucrats' wealth-building should be interrupted just because we have 10% unemployment and are taxed until there's nothing left!

The Governor is standing up for the kids in Utah in a tough time. He's not raising property, income, or sales tax to do it. It's refreshing to have the Governor do this, especially after getting my police fee bill from Mayor Corroon, and knowing my property taxes will go up as well.

700 million dollars must have looked like quite a task at the beginning of the session, but Gov. Herbert and the legislature have done an admiral job of plugging the holes without too much pain. And education has been relatively untouched. I'm very impressed with our new governor.

Mayor Corroon has lowered many taxes during his term as well as cut government cost. As I understand it, the police tax was all about having those who use the services pay for them.

I have heard it all...the police fee is not a tax. Do you understand that there was a time when the Municipal Services budget of Salt Lake County paid for police, fire and public works? Under Corroon you now have an added property tax levy for Unified Fire (Salt Lake County) and you will be getting a monthly bill from Mayor Corroon for the Unified Police Department (Salt Lake County Sheriff). I guess the people should be happy that they are now getting three for one....three separate tax payments (fire, polie and public works). With that type of economic policy Corroon might make Obama look like a conservative. Tax and spend,Cap(Tax) and Trade and Obama Care...what we need is Corroon.

"education has been relatively untouched"

The U's funding for next year is being cut by 22%. Don't tell me it's been untouched when my tuition bill goes up by 10% and my scholarship now only pays 40% instead of the promised 75%. This year the funding cut was only about 9% thanks to the stimulus bill. Next year is going to be terrible. I should be fair though. Micheal Young and Gov. Herbert have been trying to lesson the cut. I hope they are able to find more funding before prestigious professors are forced to leave, some already have. The U is number one in starting new businesses and has some of the best research in the country. It, along with other public schools, deserve to be funded as much as possible.

With all the message bills taking the priority, I am amazed they are even getting around to funding public education. It has been so bad this year Osama blushed in true admiration of our legislature when he read our local paper.

Money is not in the bank and cuts in every aspect of spending is needed, even in education. It's time for education to start discriminating against illegals in our schools, a multi million dollar cost to tax payers. These illegals do nothing to aid education except cost us money. If the state would force the removal of illegals from our schools it would cut class sizes and the need for new schools. Of the 11,000 new students, how many are illegals? Probably the majority.

They don't pay sales tax, income tax, or their schooling. These illegals expect Utah tax payers to feed their children and be day care centers as they work their illegal jobs.

Funds do not guarantee quality of education and the past has proven that very well. Though education is prized by some, it is not our most devastating problem and cuts must be made in all departments, including education. We are in a long term recession and flat economy requiring cuts and adjustments.

Education and Utah is in trouble because we have failed our future by harboring illegals and wasting our funds on 300,000+ them in Utah.

The economy is starting to improve albeit slowly. Why cut another $21 million when using one-time money such as removing the grocers' venders tax will restore $20 million or going to quarterly income tax collections will restore $100 million...sure its one-time but it buys us 16 months until the following budget year (2011-12). When my budget is tight, I look for ways to cut and to enhance my income. This is sound and it buys our kids another year. Either we have faith that we can turn around our economy as the best managed state or we give in. In Utah, we seem to cut taxes and budgets in good years and bad. When do we invest in our future?

Why don't we get in the lottery to support schools, that would keep Utah $$ in Utah instead of Idaho and Nevada taking in Utah cash (so many cross the state line to support their schools). I would also give us the cash flow to lower classroom size and allow Utah to academically compete Nation wide because our schools are an injustice to our children and to the teachers! This isn't about religion it's about supporting our Children and their future. By saying "no" to the lottery you are saying "No" to Utah kids!

re:7:33

Amen

It seems a little disingenious to me that the legislature "can't make their budget work" when we are giving away state services and jobs to criminal illegal aliens!

Oh well - might as well just raise taxes on the rest of us so the illegal aliens aren't offended!

Lots of bloviating here about 'saving money' by removing all illegal children from our schools.

Here in Davis County, the parents of all new children entering our school system are required to provide an original notarized birth certificate for confirmation of legal citizenship, and a copy is made by the school district for their files, before any child can be enrolled into a school. For those children born outside the United States, naturalization papers need to be provided for each child, or proper documentation provided to show that both the child and parents are legal residents within the United States before enrollment is allowed.

How serious is this problem and is there any significant savings? Where are the documented statistics to support this point?

If quality, and equality in public education are truly something the state values then the legislature must lead the way by recognizing and rectifying funding problems in ALL school districts, urban and rural, and supply sufficient resources in meaningful and sustainable ways. High educational standards cannot be maintained with inequitable tax distributions and low-per pupil funding, compounded by low teacher wages and unregulated district management. Ultimately such problems give Utah a national black eye and affect the state's ability to attract new business and residents.
We cannot support proposed cuts to educational budgets at this time, especially cuts to teachers & teacher wages, when schools are already so underfunded and school populations are increasing . Why would we want to cut teachers or teacher wages for those who are the direct providers of student benefits? We need more boots on the ground and less generals .