Sen LeFavour asks for help in fighting cuts to education

• Feb 28, 2010 Posted by Judy Ferro

  Dear Voter,  This week we will vote on Idaho public school budgets.   So far most Republican law makers have followed Governor Otter's example by refusing to discuss any options besides cutting funding for our local schools next year by 7.5% or $128 million.   Some extreme factions are proposing even deeper cuts to schools.   Either way schools now face policies that will : 1. Increase class sizes 2. Eliminate most tutoring for struggling students 3. Reduce or eliminate school counselors, nurses & support staff who assist kids & families in crisis  4. Eliminate teacher training & early retirement which saves districts money & brings in new teachers 5. Further reduce access to textbooks 6. Decimate funding for science & other academic materials 7. Make many academic & after school programs more expensive for Idaho families & their kids   Cuts this deep will hurt Idaho kids and eliminate hundreds of jobs from the economy at a time when small businesses and families need us to sustain jobs and keep education strong.   PLEASE let your law makers know how you feel and which funding options below (if any) you prefer to avoid deep cuts to Idaho Public Schools.   Thank you. This is SO important. Please pass it on to friends.   ...nicole   If you live in Boise, Pocatello & Ketchum almost all your lawmakers already oppose the cuts so please write a letter to the editor of your local paper(s) HERE      If you live OUTSIDE Boise please send (or have your friends or family send) a message to 18 key Senators HERE.         Some ALTERNATIVES to CUTTING SCHOOL BUDGETS you may wish to mention These are proposals brought by a hand full of LEGISLATORS OF BOTH Political Parties that could prevent the need for $128 million in cuts to Idaho Public Schools.   1. Eliminate sales tax exemptions on most services & lower the Idaho sales tax rate to 5% or 4%.  Roughly $200 million   2. One time 5% surcharge on incomes tax for those earning over $70,000 gross individual income ($100,000 taxable income for joint filers) Roughly $40 million   3. One year one time three new upper income tax brackets at $50,000, $100,000 and $250,000 for individual taxable incomes in 2010 only. (Idaho income tax brackets currently stop at $25,000 with all incomes above $25,000 being taxed at the same rate.)  Roughly $58.2 million by April 2011   4. Repeal Jim Risch's 2006 property tax to sales tax shift. Returns more stable property tax revenues to schools, raises property tax rates to 2005 levels and would allow sales tax rate to return to 5% from its current 6% in 2012. Roughly $200 million   5. Increase beer and wine taxes to free up substance abuse and mental health dollars for education.  Estimated $19 million   6. Freeze Grocery Income Tax Credit at its current level of $50 for very low income individuals and seniors and $40 per family member for all adults and children regardless of income statewide. Roughly $9.4 million   7. Suspend Grocery Income Tax Credit for one year so it only goes to those earning less than $20,000 taxable income (after deductions) individual or $40,000 for couples filing jointly. Roughly $35 million   8. Spend $9 million for the tax commission to hire more auditors to ensure people pay the Idaho taxes they owe. Roughly $60 million        You can also contact your own law makers here:   Your Senator http://legislature.idaho.gov/senate/membership.cfm Your two Representatives http://legislature.idaho.gov/house/membership.cfm Not sure which one of Idaho's 35 legislative districts you live in? http://legislature.idaho.gov/who'smylegislator.htm

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• Re: Sen LeFavour asks for help in fighting cuts to education
  Mar 4, 2010 | Judy Ferro | idadem@yahoo.com 
  A letter by Melyssa Ferro appeared in the Idaho Press-Tribune for Thursday, March 4. Don’t compare business model with education I can sympathize with Idaho State Board of Education member Milford Terrell when he says that it has been a difficult thing for him to make cuts in the staff of his plumbing business. When there isn’t work coming in, business owners can’t keep employees working. With that said, I cannot disagree with him more when he uses this to justify making schools take a bigger hit during the 2010-2011 school year in an attempt to balance the budget. Public school classrooms are not running out of work. Teachers still have the same number of students walking through their doors each morning. Seats are still full, standards still need to be met and high-stakes tests still need to be taken. Too often, critics of public education fall into the trap of comparing the job of education to other business models. Public schools don’t lose work when the economy turns south. Solutions which work for other types of businesses do not work for public schools. Education cannot be “downsized” any further without causing damage to its products, which are the future citizens (and taxpayers) of this state. I was frustrated when I read that the senatorial delegation from District 10 had said that they were proud of the fact that Idaho hasn’t had to fire teachers like other states have. There are at least 50 positions in my local school district alone that were not refilled this last school year. That means larger class sizes and fewer course offerings for the remaining staff and the students. Idaho has already lost teachers in an attempt to “make do.” The Legislature has not preserved public education as their constitutional duties charge them to do. They have cut it to the bone and patted themselves on the back for it. Back Continue

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