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“Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” The age-old adage applies to Governor Olene Walker’s aggressive plan for expanding funding for education in Utah by 6.9%.
To do it, she proposes a shift in funding priorities. Especially intriguing is her idea of “restoring the structural integrity” of the state’s General Fund.
In KSL’s view, the governor makes a strong case when she argues that the state “can no longer afford to build roads at the expense of education” or “subsidize water development at the expense of children.” After all, there is no escaping the fact student populations across the state are exploding and the need for education dollars will only intensify.
Plenty of naysayers have already stepped forward with reasons why it can’t be done. Typically, the excuses resound with the political overtones of an election year.
Instead of looking at all the negatives, though, KSL urges lawmakers to share in Governor Walker’s optimism. They need to be less concerned about the personal political ramifications of their decisions and direct their focus with a degree of honest statesmanship toward adequately funding education.
Governor Walker has suggested a way to do it. For the sake of Utah’s children and the state’s future, we hope lawmakers will have the will to go along.
