1-29-10 | Senator wants fat trimmed for sake of education| DN

Senator wants fat trimmed for sake of education

SALT LAKE CITY — Vowing to fight for education, Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, is taking other state agencies to task for being wasteful.

"I am familiar with some state agencies where people, at this very hour, are sitting at their desks with nothing to do," Stephenson said. He co-chairs the Legislature's Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee, along with Rep. Merlynn Newbold, R-South Jordan.

"We've got a lot of fat in state government, still," Stephenson said.

The two lawmakers popped into the State Board of Education's noon meeting Thursday to answer questions from worried board members.

The Legislature is looking at a 4 percent cut of state entities for fiscal year 2010, which affects the remainder of this school year. A 5 percent budget cut is being considered for fiscal year 2011. Decisions are expected by mid-February.

"The Legislature really values public ed," Newbold told the board.

However, it's going to take a lot more convincing as education leaders stare down the barrel of budget cuts.

"I think there is an intent to do the best they can by public education. What the best they can do will be is a little scary at this point," board chair Debra Roberts told the Deseret News after the meeting.

"We'll wait and see what the budget numbers are in February, but I do appreciate the intent to support public education the best they possibly can," Roberts said.

Creating an analogy of other state agencies stuffing themselves while education starves, Stephenson points to the latest movie based on the book "Oliver Twist." Oliver is in a cold, dingy orphanage and dares to ask for an extra bowl of soup: "Please sir, I want some more." The camera then pans next door to the brightly lit room where there is a feast going on.

"Some of these state agencies are immune to the cuts public education experiences," Stephenson said, adding some people act like they "didn't get the memo we are $875 million in the red."

He points out while all other state agencies are subject to a 5 percent cut for 2011, education is getting a "double whammy," since 11,000 more students are expected to enter the system next school year, therefore making the cut far more dramatic for education than for others.

"We would be getting an 8 percent cut," Stephenson said. "That is unacceptable. If we go out of this session and public education has that kind of reduction …"

Stephenson said he has been talking with Senate Executive Appropriations members and emphasizing the disparity education is facing.

"The Legislature needs to consider that education should be protected," he said.

e-mail: astewart@desnews.com

Please visit http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700005494/Senator-chastises-agencies.html for more information.