Sen. Shawn Keough
Members of the Idaho Legislature’s budget committee are trying to work out a plan to avoid slashing public education’s budget this year.
Sandpoint Sen. Shawn Keough says she and Sen. Dean Cameron, co-chairman of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, are among lawmakers who have initiated talks to mitigate the hit to schools during fiscal year 2010, which ends June 30.
In January, Gov. Butch Otter proposed K-through-12 schools’ funding be cut $28 million this year, part of a total $40 million holdback across state government.
On Friday, Keough’s budget committee approved an even more reduced revenue forecast in which agencies were told to expect deeper cuts.
But she still hopes her group’s plan, to be unveiled as early as this week, will keep public education funding whole at least until fiscal year 2011 starts in July. (AP)
