AUSTIN – After meeting behind closed doors for weeks, the handful of legislators who hashed out the finer details of the state's budget met in public Monday.
Among the points agreed to were a five percent cut for colleges and universities and a 10 percent cut to state funded financial aid. Full funding, though, was restored to TEXAS Grants scholarships for low-income students and community colleges across the state.
At least one lawmaker is angry over a part of the budget bill that would cut teacher salaries, when juxtaposed to another part of the budget bill, which could give raises to top TxDOT officials.
"We're looking at giving them a pay boost, while everybody else is getting a pay cut or a pink slip,” said State Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston. “I’m sorry, the math to me and the common sense, it does not add up.”
The math on education cuts adds up to $4 billion over the next two years -- not as deep as originally proposed.
With a dollar figure now in place, it is clearer how deep the cuts in statewide spending on public education will be. The difficult work now is determining which districts will bear the brunt of those cuts. One plan would cut some districts, while boosting funding to others.
The Hochberg plan would cut Austin ISD’s state funding by $63 million over two years and El Paso ISD by $11 million. San Antonio ISD would actually get $4.2 million more over the next two years.
Another plan would cut all school districts by about six percent. That plan is being floated by House Education Committee Chairman Rob Eissler.
“I like to say it’s without prejudice,” Eissler said. “It doesn’t go against one type of school district in particular.”
The over-all state budget requires a final vote by legislators. If it, or the school finance plan, does not pass, a special session is all but assured.
