Senators on the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee took issue with Gov. Rick Scotts proposed education budget Thursday morning, hours before a separate committee passed a bill that would tie teacher pay to performance.
Problems with funding priorities and even the language contained in the recommendations were at the top of the legislators list of issues with the budget.
Scotts proposal suggests cutting $3.3 billion from education funding, most of which is from the rejection of federal stimulus funding, but at the same time uses existing stimulus dollars to reduce the impact of the cuts.
The suggested funding per student in Scotts budget is $6,196 -- about $700 less than the current amount. His budget shows that requiring teachers to contribute 5 percent of their salaries to the state pension fund would free up school districts to spend more money on students, and money from an education jobs fund from existing stimulus funds would reduce his cut in per-student funding to $300.
Thats money that was stimulus money, it was given a year ago. Thats money (school boards) saved because they knew things were going to be bad, Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormand Beach, told Scotts education policy coordinator, Scott Kittel.
And youre showing that as part of your budget. I just dont think thats a straight arrow. I look at it as a little smoke and mirrors, she added.
Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, also piled on, asking Kittel pointedly whether Scotts budget reflects the 10 percent decrease that would result in 700 less dollars in per-student funding.
Yes, the recommendation in the governors funding formula is a 10.19 percent change, Kittel answered.
Lynn also scrutinized a proposal to add $16.1 million to the budget for assessment and evaluation of students.
You have focused on that at a time when the governor says we should focus on only the absolute essentials. I question the increase in testing at a time when we should be teaching more, she said.
Kittel said that Scott was open to recommendations from legislators to changes in the budget and is willing to work with them.
He recognized that other entities would make different priority choices, Kittel said.
Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, took umbrage at the use of one word that was used throughout Scotts budget proposal -- earmarks.
We dont have earmarks in state governments, Detert said.
She defended the Legislatures record on reducing spending on earmarks for mentoring programs, cutting $65 million from those programs in recent years.
Thanks for joining the party but I would ask that you never use the word earmark again. Its a Washington word, it doesnt belong in state government, Detert said.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
