Details of Budget Proposal
Dec. 11, 2000--
Governor Mike Leavitt has just announced what he calls the best ever budget for Utah Schools.
It includes appropriations of new money to spend on various problems -- including more than $45-million to solve the textbook problem, $19-million for teacher incentives in high-demand areas like math, and nearly $50-million in grants that individual districts can spend on what they need.
Students welcomed Governor Leavitt with songs while their teachers awaited the numbers.
The Governor literally rolled out his total-- $2.4 Billion.
And students were obviously impressed.
GOVERNOR LEAVITT: "THIS IS NOT JUST AN INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION. IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR THE NEXT DECADE AND BEYOND."
Millions of new dollars will go to reading programs, reducing class size and helping build new schools.
And the money comes from growth in state revenues, not a tax hike.
Nadine Wimmer, Eyewitness News: "THE PROGRAM STARTED WITH STUDENTS SINGING. BY THE END, TEACHERS WERE SINGING PRAISES OVER THE GOVERNOR'S LATEST PLANS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS."
Trish Morrison/Teacher: "I THINK OVERALL WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID."
"I THINK IT'S GREAT, IT'S A GREAT START."
But he
and they both know,
this encouraging picture of school funding will not be the final one.
Legislators must pass their own education budget. And Republicans have already said theirs will be more modest.
"THIS IS A BOLD PROPOSAL. IT IS ONE I BELIEVE THE LEGISLATURE WILL SUPPORT."
That remains to be seen, and teachers will have to wait.
Karen Pedersen/Teacher: "HE SETS A HIGH BAR, BUT THE LEGISLATURE TAKES IT FROM THERE AND WE ALWAYS GET LESS. SO WE'RE GOING TO WAIT AND SEE."
Debbie Grimnes/Teacher: "IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT IT SOUNDED GOOD BEFORE."
