Can we have better schools, better roads and BP money? The next 90 days will tell.
Or none of those.
Count Sen.
"That makes them want to do nothing," she said. "And just kind of coast."
But it's also pretty clear she's had it with the partisanship in
"They should have printed over all the doors, 'Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,'" she said, channeling her inner
School funding
Others say this could be the year the Legislature delivers on the long-promised revision of the state's public school funding formula.
Lawmakers have in hand a year-old report state officials commissioned on the school funding formula. It didn't get those "Recommendations for Improving School Funding in
That agreement is still, according to Lt. Gov.
"Over the past seven years, the conversation on education has changed to one of outcomes -- what results are we seeing -- rather than only inputs," said
Republican lawmakers for years have complained that too much money is going to the schools' administrators.
"A new funding formula that prioritizes instruction over administration combined with support for teacher training and programs that work can help reach the goal of giving every child a chance at success," Hipp said. "This session,
Rep.
"I am concerned about the impact it could have for the Coast schools," he said. "We are a little different in how our public schools are run and how much we commit in local dollars. I don't want us to be penalized for providing that additional local support that we should encourage throughout the state."
Rep.
"They're keeping that a secret from most everybody, I think," he said. "I understand they're going to come forward with something, but they are trying to juggle within the caucus to see how they can satisfy
BP money
"I think the
They'll need Republican and Democratic votes because there are lawmakers from other parts of the state who have their eyes on a sizable share of the money as well. Rep.
"Many Representatives believe that the
That difference of opinion helped scuttle a bill that flew through the
"Some of them believe it's a free pot of money when actually it's money for economic damages that occurred down in the coastal communities and that's where the money should be spent," DeLano said. He said several bills likely will be filed by the Coast delegation to attempt to achieve that end.
"I think a majority of the legislators from all across the state know the damages occurred on the Coast and that's where most of this money should be spent," he said.
Dawkins has her doubts.
"They may say, 'Oh yes, we'll help you any way we can,'" she said. "Uh. Uh. Yeah. Until it impacts them."
And, the Lieutenant Governor's Office said he still backs the Coast.
"As Lt.
BP money aside, Baria said, lawmakers face huge issues in health care -- "That would take an hour to go through all of them" -- and the debate over how to pay to maintain and repair roads and bridges.
Dawkins said the Legislature also likely will be dealing with an unruly budget. "I'm shocked, shocked that we haven't seen huge revenue increases because they cut all these taxes," she said sarcastically.
DeLano said lawmakers also will probably take up a lottery, something he supports as long as it's played on paper, like the
The 90-day session begins Tuesday.
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