May 2016

Politicians boast about providing “level funding” to schools, but that term is deceiving. All school districts are going into an ever-deeper budget hole, as flat state appropriations do not cover legislatively mandated cost increases that occur each year, such as the “step” salary increase state law provides teachers for each additional year of service. When each […]

This afternoon, Governor Bryant chose yet another huge tax break for big business over adequate funding for public schools, mental health, and other vital state services. Despite legislative leaders having just announced that they  passed an unbalanced budget – in violation of the state constitution – and despite being unable to pay the state’s bills, requiring deep cuts

As budget and tax-cut bills await Governor Bryant’s signature, a growing, bi-partisan chorus is warning of a looming budget crisis rivaling that seen during the Great Recession – a crisis manufactured by our Legislature through years of corporate tax cuts that the state cannot afford. Leaders who pushed through the tax cuts defend them as a way to “reduce the