Hill, Bedke: Education funding top priority as end of session nears…

House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill both say the Legislature can still wrap up its session by March 27, as long as it addresses education funding. Both also want to see movement on transportation funding. But Bedke told the Idaho Press Club today, “I think it is possible that we’ll do education and go home. It’s not my desire that we do that, but certainly it’s possible.”

Both said the teacher career ladder bill introduced in a House committee this morning is key to wrapping up the major issue of the session: Education funding. “Yeah, it’d be nice if every teacher started at $40,000,” Bedke said. “But that’s not in the cards, frankly, on year one, with our budgetary constraints. We have a very conservative legislature. … $40,000 would be nice, but logistically and budgetarily … it’s going to take some time.” He added, “You have my word as a former education budget wonk … I think without exception, it’s going to be good for teachers.”

As for transportation funding and how to address that, Hill said, “I still don’t think that we’re there.” Education funding remains top priority, he said. “In Idaho we’ve never been particularly generous with public education. … I don’t think we’ve been throwing money at it. We’ve been very careful and very frugal through all the years. … Wanting more money to go into public education, it’s a high priority.”

Hill also said Senate Tax Chairman Jeff Siddoway isn’t the only one who wants to postpone further tax cuts until education funding has been addressed. “We put a good emphasis on tax relief over the last four or five years,” Hill said. “We have put literally hundreds of millions into the pockets of the citizens of Idaho with tax relief. … I think there’s a shift in the mood at the Legislature that we need to put a little more focus into the public education funding.”