Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Government Specialist Richard Piatt reporting House lawmakers are tinkering with a bill that calls for sweeping changes to public education, for tuition tax credits, and-- going in--a tax increase.
We've been calling the bill the "Education Omnibus" bill, because it does so much all at once. It calls for reform to education's core curriculum, and insures competency.
But the Senate version calls for a tax increase.
The Governor says he will veto the bill if it includes either a tax increase or tuition tax credits. His reason: Schools have enough money problems. "They're inadequately funded. They need to improve in ways we would all like them to," Governor Leavitt says. "But I'm not going to sign a bill that I think would ultimately hurt public schools as opposed to help them."
Members of House and Senate leadership are clearly frustrated that their attempts to solve education's problems are being dismissed.
Senate president Al Mansell says, "Let's see somebody else come up with a plan, and let's see somebody have the nerve to step out and make some recommendations that really make a difference."
What is unfolding is a rare display of acrimony between the branches of government, with legislators feeling the Governor hasn't presented a plan that's realistic.
In the meantime, House lawmakers have moved to remove the income tax hike from the bill, instead funding it with a hike in vehicle registration fees.
But that still doesn't solve the Governor's concerns about tuition tax credits, which he says he doesn't like any better than the tax increase.
