Virginia Democrats: Stop the Education Funding Shell Game

In this tough Budget Cycle, the education of our future leaders is not immune to the cuts lawmakers propose.  The House of Delegates plans to decrease funding to localities for K-12 education, as does the state Senate and the Governor, but all in a different way.

Here's how the Daily Press describes the conundrum:  

Lawmakers like to put it this way: "We have to tighten our belts just like folks back home." But the comparison goes only so far. It's generally not their belts they're tightening, after all.

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But when legislators describe the painful choice they face between reducing funding for K-12 public education and making cuts to higher education that could lead to higher tuition costs, whose belt is that?

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With about $1.4 billion less to spend than previously projected, the House and Senate have broken in different directions on the use of the state's "Rainy Day fund." The Senate, under Democrat rule this year, more or less goes with Gov. Tim Kaine's plan to draw $423 million from the fund. The House, still under the Republicans, would stop at $225 million.

At least both sides recognize that the Rainy Day fund is not a savings account. It's there to soften the blow when revenues turn down. And it's raining.

Somehow when you hear from a legislator, education is either omitted, or they are informing you of how they are providing funding through shell games that provide no more funding and leave localities holding the bag.

At the end of the day the children will come to school, and they will be educated utilizing all resources at the disposal of the divisions,
but will these children receive the education they deserve?  Will our schools have the tools they need to give our children all they deserve
and need to succeed in our changing economy?

This shortfall falls on the local county governments to make up the difference.  But no one speaks out until the proposed local property
tax increase kicks in.  Then those who oppose the hikes property taxes come out to public hearings and all but threaten violence to the Board
of Supervisors if their taxes are increased, but the state and federal lawmakers, they get sent back to Richmond and D.C. year after year.    
Not nearly the same number of citizens come out to support increasing funding in education, and they are not nearly as vocal overall.

This is an issue of responsible government, and Democratic lawmakers need to have the courage to invest in the future of the Commonwealth.  When you take courageous positions, progressives will be here to support you.

So here's my challenge for Democratic lawmakers, from the State House to the walls of Congress, and of course the Governor's Mansion: show localities the money.  

No more of this blame shifting with this budget shell game.  At the end of the day the same exact taxpayers will pay for the education of our
children, it is just a matter of who receives the check.

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