Republicans in the Iowa House have approved bills that would provide a two percent increase in state “per pupil” spending for Iowa’s public schools for the 2016/2017 school year.
That’s Representative Chuck Soderberg (SAH-der-berg), a Republican from Le Mars who is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Democrats raised a host of objections and suggested it would be best for the legislature to first settle the debate over state funding for the school year that begins THIS August. Representative Patti Ruff, a Democrat from McGregor, says Republicans should be “ashamed” of proposing a two percent boost for schools.
Republicans counter it’s difficult to make the decision now since there’s no reliable prediction yet of what state tax revenues might be next year.
House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, a Republican from Hiawatha, says he hopes Democrats change their minds, but he’s not willing to hold up the conclusion of the 2015 legislative session until this decision on NEXT year’s state aid for schools is made. Negotiators are still working on the budget bill that should include the tentative deal for how much state support schools will get for the 2015/2016 school year.
