A budget has been approved. I just wished I knew how much of a budget was approved. The Washington Post, Fredericksburg Free Lance Star and the Augusta Free Press call it a $60 billion budget, while the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginian Pilot and Roanoke Times says it’s $59 billion.
But what’s a billion here, a billion there? Can it be that hard for reporters to agree on the total budget figure?
The Roanoke Times explains the compromise over the ¼% sales tax sent to localities for education: half distributed based on school-age population that favors large school divisions and half using the local composite index that favors poorer counties.
That seems a fair compromise to me. Now the battle will be enjoined at the local level. Though the money is meant for education, it could just as easily be used for tax relief. How these battles play out will be interesting to watch.
Some communities no doubt will use some of the money for property tax relief. If they do, they can’t really complain about not having enough money for education. Larger jurisdictions that provide the bulk of state funds have sometimes complained that when more money is allocated for poorer school districts, the local pols there lower real estate tax rates instead of spending money on schools.
Now it will be interesting to see what happens, especially in those larger counties. In Fairfax County for example, the board of supervisors has already approved a budget with a three-cent decrease in property taxes. If they use the money for further property tax relief, one has to wonder how much supervisors are really committed to schools.
The board, elected last November, is solidly Democratic. In all elections in which there was a property tax cap candidate, that candidate lost. So you would think the board would be more likely to make investments they’ve said all along were needed while they criticized the state for not ponying up the money.
But therein lies the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Bush lost the popular vote by more than 500,000 but has governed as if he had a mandate. Kerry-inspired Democrats win handily and govern as if they’re scared of their own shadow.
There’s no state money for teacher salary increases in the state budget. That too, will be a decision for local authorities. How much will go to raising teacher pay, certainly needed, and how much for other school needs, especially infrastructure? With the guaranteed revenue stream now in place for local school systems, they could leverage the money for school renovations and to relieve overcrowding.
From the Richmond Times Dispatch this morning: “Lawmakers, while preaching tight-fistedness, also found dollars for their pet projects….” Among them, $500,000 for the Wolf Trap performing arts center, which happens to be in Del. Vince Callahan’s (R) district, he who voted against any tax increase that would have funded education, transportation, healthcare and any other non-performing arts programs.
The story also reveals that Philip Morris got its $6 million wish.
Meanwhile, Gov. Mark Warner (D) described his ideas on education to a national audience. Teachers are a little leery of incentive pay, but to her credit, Virginia Education Association President Jean Bankos is willing to discuss the issue. But “[t]he dealbreaker, she said, would be if the incentives were based only on test scores.”
Anything based on standardized test score would break a deal for me, too.
Here’s a Virginia Democrat’s “John Kerry explanation” of a vote on civil unions. (Anyone see a backbone around here? I’m sure I had one.) To any bill banning civil unions lawmakers need to follow Nancy Reagan’s advice: Just say no.
More tuition hikes ahead.
Here’s more than you ever wanted to know about the state song and cicadas.