Alabama Senate passes budget with one-time teacher bonus

Feb. 28--MONTGOMERY -- Alabama's teachers would get a one-time bonus, rather than a permanent pay raise, under a $5.9 billion education budget approved by the Alabama Senate Thursday.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville State University officials report that their losses under the proposed budget aren't as bad as originally projected -- something that could keep a tuition increase at bay for this year.

"Right now, there's no tuition increase on the table," JSU President William Meehan said.

Senators voted 21-11, largely along party lines, for the budget, which sets aside $34 million to give teachers a one-time, one percent bonus in 2015. That bonus falls short of the 2 percent pay raise requested by Republican Gov. Robert Bentley, and the 6 percent raise suggested by Democrats, who are in the minority in both houses.

The budget heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Supporters of the one-time bonus said they wanted to give teachers more, but had to set aside money to pay off the remainder of a $437 million loan lawmakers made from a state rainy day fund years ago. That loan comes due in mid-2015.

"We wanted to do something, but still be fiscally responsible, and the 1 percent was the way to do it," said Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, the president pro tempore of the Senate.

Democrats objected to the lack of a permanent raise, arguing that the one-time bonus added up to a single check of $479 for the average teacher and $180 for the average school support worker.

Lawmakers approved a pay raise for education employees last year, the first since 2007. Still, Democrats argued, with increased requirements to pay for their own health care and retirement, teachers have seen their take-home pay shrink since the recession began.

"Think of what the price of gas was in 2007," said Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville. "Think of the price of milk."

The cost of health care was a worry for some universities, too. Earlier this week, Meehan told The Star that JSU would lose as much as $765,000 to a state requirement that universities pay more for their health insurance.

Meehan said Thursday morning that he had discussed the bill with senators and legislative staff and found that the health insurance increase was no longer in the budget. Marsh confirmed that the increase was not in the budget bill.

That leaves JSU with only a slight decrease in state funding in the budget proposal. The Senate budget would give the university $35.8 million in 2015, about $166,000 less than the previous year.

"The Senate has agreed to hold the cost down," Meehan said.

Meehan was in Montgomery Thursday for Higher Education Day, a rally that brought hundreds of college students to the State House to argue for more funding for higher education.

Speakers at the rally led the crowd in a chant of "one third," a reference to the Legislature's past practice of giving two thirds of the state's education money to K-12 schools and one-third to colleges. That split hasn't been observed in years; universities now get about 26 percent.

"I think it should be more than a third," said Susanna Rivas, a junior majoring in music at JSU. Rivas said she's seen her tuition rise as a result of lower state funding.

The split is important because of the peculiar way in which Alabama budgets its money. Most state agencies are paid for from the $1.8 million General Fund budget, but schools get their money from the separate Education Trust Fund. With all schools in one budget, the budget battle often pits K-12 schools, two-year colleges and universities against each other in the pitch for more money.

K-12 schools saw some increases in the Senate budget. The budget includes $10 million to hire about 250 new middle school teachers, and smaller increases to defray the cost of textbooks and buses. The Senate also gave Alabama's growing $28 million pre-kindergarten program a $10 million boost, part of a plan to expand the program to more children.

Universities overall saw about $11 million in cuts, but $10 million of them were to Alabama State University, which is undergoing a forensic audit after allegations of mismanagement and fraud there. The cuts amount to about one fourth of the overall budget of the historically black college in Montgomery.

Senate budget committee chairman Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Daphne, told The Star on Wednesday that the $10 million was in a "conditional appropriation" that could be released if state revenues are higher than projected.

The power to release those revenues is in the hands of Gov. Robert Bentley -- but Bentley did not request the cuts in his own budget proposal. In a short speech to the Higher Education Day rally, Bentley addressed Alabama State students directly.

"I want you to know, students, I am on your side," he said.

Black lawmakers have questioned the proposed cut, which would hit one of the state's best-known historically black colleges far harder than all other state colleges combined.

"We don't need to treat HBCUs like that," said Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, "because it makes us look racist."Capitol & statewide reporter Tim Lockette: 256-294-4193. On Twitter @TLockette_Star.

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