State schools group: Proposed funds are not enough

RICHMOND

Education advocates warned Tuesday that localities would be forced to cut programs, employ fewer teachers or raise real estate taxes to pick up the slack in public education funding in the House of Delegates' version of the two-year budget.

Part of the more than $7 billion in proposed public education spending in each year of the biennium is dedicated to paying so-called rebenchmarking costs, which is new funding for schools to maintain basic standards.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has proposed about $943 million in new education funding in the upcoming two-year budget.

The Virginia Education Association, which represents teachers, said the Senate budget plan sets aside about $874 million for those costs; the House budget has roughly $780 million.

At a news conference Monday, education officials said the House proposal would devastate the ability of local governments to pay for schools.

"The House proposal will not reduce the cost of educating our young people, but only serve to shift the costs of providing a high-quality public education for years to come," said Stu Gibson, a vice president with the Virginia School Boards Association.

Opponents of the House plan say it will provide less state money to schools for salaries and other costs in future budgets because its assumptions are based on costs four years ago, not costs from the previous two years that are traditionally used.

Del. Phillip Hamilton, R-Newport News, said such criticisms are invalid because within the entire budget, there is enough money for education.

VEA officials said the House budget cuts $121 million in education funding that otherwise would go to pay raises for school employees, provide some health insurance coverage and offset federal funds.

The House budget includes a 2 percent raise for teachers in the first year of the biennium, while the Senate has a 2.5 percent pay raise in the second budget year. Senate Republicans insist that the Senate's budget proposal is unconstitutional because of the way it handles lottery money earmarked for education.

All of these issues are being worked on by 12 legislators - six from each chamber - appointed to craft a budget compromise before the General Assembly session ends Saturday.

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com