[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Education Priority

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Education Priority
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1204587079.shtml


   I was at a meeting that included a couple of Legislators, talking
   about K-12 education funding, District 281 in particular. I am truly
   appreciative of them taking the time for us and therefore felt a
   little guilty posing the following paraphrased question. "Total state
   spending is rising well over the inflation rate under Pawlenty. You
   said that inflation-adjusted education funding has fallen 4 percent
   since 2003. If education lost, who won?"
   This was a room full of Democrats, but I think most had not thought of
   it this way, maybe not even one of the Legislators. It was therefore
   an "E. F. Hutton" moment. The Legislators gave honest answers, citing
   Corrections, Public Safety, and of course, Health and Human Services.
   My point was to show that there are always priorities, and maybe they
   aren't what we constituents (including Democrats) think they are, what
   common sense might otherwise suggest. Raising taxes isn't the only
   answer.