Just a quick update for now.
You can read a brief summary of the governor's proposed budget here.
The key points:
- K-12 education is actually slightly increased, which should be great news to school districts and teachers. Federal "stimulus" funds included in the last budget is not replaced, of course. But the basic funds coming from state tax dollars have been spared the ax.
- Other education reforms include bonuses for well-performing teachers and testing of non-performing ones, expanding school choice and charter schools.
- Local government funding takes the biggest hit. All the more reason why the reforms in Senate Bill 5 are so necessary in order for local governments to be able to better manage their costs.
- College professors are going to be asked to teach an additional course every other year. Universities will be able to use single prime contracting, a process that saves construction costs.
- $1.4 billion in Medicaid cuts.
- 5 prisons will be sold and privatized. This will provide money up front and also continued operation savings in future years. High-security, dangerous prisoners will remain in state controlled prisons.
You can download the entire budget here.
Also, tonight the governor is hosting a public town hall which can be viewed at www.OhioChannel.org.
Liberals are already complaining about the cuts to state government. Of course, we already knew they would complain and criticize whatever spending was cut. I'd be interested to see their alternatives that don't raise taxes, but so far, none are forthcoming. Just grumbling.
This is definitely a reform budget, to go along with a reform agenda to fix the state we are in.
This is the kind of leadership we needed on the budget 2 years ago. Thankfully, we have someone now who isn't afraid to talk to us like adults and make the hard choices.
Bytor on Twitter
To say this budget increases funding for K-12 education is just a lie. It's a smoke and mirrors trick. School districts will get 16% LESS in funding under this budget. That 1% line-item increase Kasich talks about goes straight to for-profit charter schools and school vouchers, not the classroom.
ReplyDeleteKasich eliminates funding for gifted programs, drug-free schools, school safety programs, and at risk student funding.
SB 5 won't make a DENT in the hit local governments take. Kasich basically balanced his budget by raiding money intended to go to schools and cities and diverting to his own budget.
Kasich's budget will raise taxes. It already is.
You're including the "stimulus" funds from the previous budget, which is a dishonest comparison, Modern.
ReplyDeleteIf he raised state taxes, you'd attack.
If he cuts anything, you'd attack.
Your guy had money fall from the sky to do the job that this governor has to do with current state revenues.
So, your whole argument is dishonest.
Either say you would balance the budget by raising taxes, or support the spending cuts, Modern.
No, including the stimulus is not dishonest as the stimulus replaced the revenue we lost during the recession that ended two years ago.
ReplyDeleteYou, as usual, whistle right past the other points I made like how none of your so-called "increase" makes it inside of the classrooms and actually eats another $20 million from public school funding.
Add the Buckeye Institute to people who calls this budget a sham.
I guess they'd criticize Kasich no matter what he'd do, too?