vision2020
RE: Education Message from the Governor
Can anyone answer the
following questions?
Did the teachers in
Moscow get the PERSI moneys allocated to the Public School District? If
so, did other districts place this money in their operating funds and.or using
them to offset the holdbacks? Did other governmental entities return the
PERSI funds to individual employees or did they keep them in the general or
retirement funds?
Barbara
Hi All,
I took Tom Trails
advice yesterday about contacting the Governor and others regarding the current
state budget. Below is a reply I received from the Governors office.
I would especially note the Governors contention that the school districts will
not miss the 2.5 % holdback.
I think that it is very important that
we all put pressure on the legislature and the governor. Please
contact, them especially these important committee chairs at Rep. Dolores
Crow <infocntr@lso.state.id.us>,
Rep. Maxine Bell
<infocntr@lso.state.id.us>
Sen. Dean
Cameron<infocntr@lso.state.id.us>
David
X-From_: BRuud@gov.state.id.us Tue Feb 12
10:35:18 2002
From: Bill Ruud <BRuud@gov.state.id.us>
To:
"'dnelson@moscow.com'" <dnelson@moscow.com>
Subject:
Education
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 11:36:44 -0700
X-Mailer: Internet Mail
Service (5.5.2653.19)
X-postini-filters:
(S:0.4379423 )
Dear David:
Thank you for your recent
letter. The Governor appreciates your concerns
and values your
comments.
The issues confronting our state are often complex and
require much
consideration. The Governor will note your remarks as he
reviews the
matter. Without public input on the issues that confront
us, it is
difficult to effectively address them. We encourage your
continued
participation in local, state and federal government
processes.
Education received $933 million
from the state for FY 2002. With the 2.5%
holdback, we're now saying that
instead of $933 million, public schools will
be receiving $910
million. There should not be any noticeable impacts to
the way our
children are educated with this holdback. Also please remember
that
there was strong sentiment in the legislature to return much of the
surplus
available last year to the citizens. In addition, the revenues
for
FY2002 have gone way down with the softening of the economy. We
are
carefully examining options available to assist that small number
of
districts that may have difficulty.
The deficit is an issue that
all of state government needs to address, and
we need to do it
together. Because of the high priority the Governor has
placed on
education, he has directed all other agencies to absorb more of
a
percentage holdback than education. (3% versus 2.5% for education
in FY
2002 and an average of 10% in FY 2003) that is .5% more for education
in FY
2002 and 10% more in FY 2003.
Education has received
significant dollar enhancements in each of the three
budgets that the
Governor has presented. In addition to that, this year the
schools
benefited from a huge PERSI gain share ($19.5 million) which the
state
allowed the districts to have. That is a $19.5 million increase
that
was not anticipated and the budget holdback requirement is $23
million.
We are hopeful of a turnaround in the economy that will support
increased
revenues to all state agencies. The Governor has said
that we will be one
of the first states to come out of this national
recession.
Because the Governor continues to support education at all
levels and know
the importance of Idaho students getting the best education
available, he
has recommended that the $933 million recommended for FY 2002
also be the
recommendation for FY 2003. He is, therefore,
recommending Idaho Public
Schools be funded at 100% of the FY 2002
level. This is evidenced by the
recent outstanding performance of
Idaho students on the 2000 Science NAEP
tests.
Thanks again for your
note, I hope this information is helpful.
Bill Ruud
Senior
Policy
Office of the Governor
Mr. David Nelson
804 East E
Street
Moscow ID 83843 208 882-3760 208 883-7699
EMail: dnelson@moscow.com
Education
Dear Mr.
Kempthorne
I am writing to support education funding for the state if
Idaho. The
current funding proposals at both the university and basic
level (k-12) are
terribly short sighted and harmful to the state and
especially to the
students.
I believe the last years tax cut
MUST be repealed or at least delayed in
order to at least maintain
education funding at last years levels. The
amounts beeing considered
in CUts for the universityies will cut serious
muscle from the schools and
harm economic developent in the state.
Please do not go down the
current path of devestating cuts for education to
maintain last years
inappropriate tax cut.
David Nelson
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Nelson
Nelson & Roseme, Inc.
Phone 208
883-7699
FAX 208 882-8143
Email dnelson@dnai.com
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