Perdue, lawmakers still don't agree on education funding
Gov. Bev Perdue wanted lawmakers to join her in asking for more stimulus funding. House and Senate leaders say they support a different federal bill.
Posted — Updated"I remain concerned that under the new budget, schools across North Carolina will receive approximately $190 million less next year than they received this year," Perdue wrote. "The fact that even fewer resources will go towards education next year as compared to this year is particularly troubling when you consider that this year, schools were forced to cut 915 teachers, more than 2,000 teacher assistants, and nearly 5,000 total education jobs."
Perdue said the federal government could stave off further layoffs through a second round of EduJobs funding.
Berger and Tillis did not bite. Republicans have been reluctant to embrace "one-time" federal spending for recurring costs, such as teacher salaries.
"H.R. 3606 would increase American job creation and economic growth by improving access to the public capital markets for emerging growth companies," the two leaders write. They also point out that it has enjoyed broad bipartisan support, at least in the House. The same cannot be said of the stimulus bill.
It's worth pointing out that H.R. 3606 would do nothing immediately for schools, but one assumes in the long-run a healthier economy would mean more state tax revenue and therefore more funding for public education.
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