House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, debating in favor of SB 1184, passed out a report showing how school districts have spent the $51.6 million in federal jobs money they got last August; districts were given flexibility to spend the money to offset cuts immediately, or use the funds over the next two years or more, but warned to save at least some. "They obviously listened to the governor's admonitions at that time," Bedke said, because many districts still haven't spent all of that money - and some haven't spent any of it yet. "They're in a position ... to more than offset whatever budget actions that we do," he said. He called that "what's been missing in this debate."

Bedke also said when JFAC set its budget for public schools for next year, "They had heard the debate about taking money out of salary-based apportionment and buying technology with it. That didn't set well with the joint committee. ... They used $13 million and some to eliminate this transfer from salary-based apportionment to technology. Technology is completely funded without taking money from salary-based apportionment."

That actually was what Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, advocated in opposing SB 1184 in the Senate - that even without SB 1184, the state could fund state schools Supt. Tom Luna's proposed spending level for technology next year. And the joint committee did set a budget for schools for next year with a $47 million budget cut, rather than the feared $62 million. Did it reverse the SB 1184 fund-shift? I certainly didn't see that in the intent language, but it's long and complicated; you can read it yourself here.