Democratic Legislators Question Governor Otter on Funding of Education Bills

Posted on Mar 18, 2011 in IDLC Press, News, Uncategorized

Idaho State Senate Idaho House of Representatives

Democratic Leadership

State Capitol P.O. Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720-0081

Press Release For immediate release – Thursday, March 17, 2011

Democrats Question Governor Otter on Funding of Education Bills

BOISE—Idaho’s Democratic legislators are calling on Governor Otter to justify signing Senate bill 1110 which lacks a funding mechanism because that legislation (SB 1113) has failed to garner the support needed for passage.

“Governor Otter has always touted his credentials as a fiscal conservative so it begs the question how he can sign a bill that mandates up to $50 million per year in costs without adequate funding during the worst fiscal crisis in the history of Idaho’s system of public instruction,” said Senate Minority Leader Edgar Malepeai.

Senator Malepeai is a retired teacher who sits on the Senate Education Committee and has opposed the Otter/Luna plan since its unilateral inception.

House Minority Leader John Rusche said, “We try to teach our kids not only math and reading, but collaboration, communication, planning and responsibility. I do not see those attributes in these bills from the Republican Governor and Superintendent Luna.”

Democrats remain dismayed by the passage of legislation that strips away the mechanism that for decades has successfully unified teachers with school district administrators through a collaborative process that enhanced the workplace environment that is your child’s classroom.

“The Superintendent and Governor have talked about how we can no longer continue to ‘cannibalize’ our system of education,” said House Minority Caucus Chair Brian Cronin. “This term couldn’t be more appropriate for what we’re doing with this bill: robbing education and cutting teacher jobs and salaries in order to pay teachers a nominal bonus. It not only doesn’t add up but it doesn’t make any logical sense.”

“It’s disappointing there was no political will to conduct a respectful dialog about this sweeping overhaul of public education,” said Senator Michelle Stennett, Minority Caucus Chair. “Teachers were not a part of the planning process and many will lose their jobs, yet they are being told that we value them and will pay for their performance when there is no money to make good on this disingenuous promise.”

For more information, contact: Representative John Rusche 208-750-6048, jrusche@house.idaho.gov or Senator Edgar Malepeai, 208-251-9517, emalepeai@senate.idaho.gov.

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