Governor announces “no new cuts to public school funding”

We finally have some positive news about K-12 funding. Today the Governor’s Office presented quarterly revenue forecasts for the state budget. The December forecast is based on several positive factors that have emerged since the last forecast in September.

Economic activity in Colorado during the fall months was better than expected, resulting in more state revenue than anticipated. There was stronger employment growth than planned, plus increased revenue from capital gains and increased sales and personal income taxes.

While we welcome this news, we are reminded that Colorado is still in a modest recovery from the recession and is not expected to return to pre-recession levels for several more years. Crises in global markets, especially in Europe, could negatively impact the U.S. and Colorado economies in 2012. HOWEVER…

As the result of increased revenues that were not expected, Governor Hickenlooper will present a budget request to the Legislature to restore some education funding:
- About $20 million for increased student enrollment and increased numbers of at-risk students which, if adopted by the Legislature, would mean no mid-year rescission of 2011-12 monies;
- Reversal of the Governor’s earlier announcement of a proposed $89 million cut for 2012-13 which, if the Legislature agrees, would mean no new cuts for 2012-13.

While the Governor is proposing no new cuts, he is not proposing to make up the $800 million in cuts over the last two years or fund everything pledged under Amendment 23. Our K-12 system is nearly $1 billion behind the level of funding the voters approved in 2000 with Amendment 23. That’s why the next steps in the Lobato lawsuit remedy are so important.

Last week, following the December 9 Lobato Case ruling, CEA released our recommendations for restoring education funding. One of our four steps was no additional cuts to state education funding. We appreciate Governor Hickenlooper’s leadership today: education cuts could be the first to be restored with unanticipated state revenues.

Explore posts in the same categories: Colorado Legislature, Governor John Hickenlooper, K-12 Funding, Public Education, Public school employees, Public Schools, School Violence, State Budget, Taxes

Tags: CEA, Colorado Education Association, Colorado Legislature, Governor John Hickenlooper, K-12 funding, K-12 schools, public education budget cuts, school budget cuts, School Funding

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