Now, before you express concern about the House Republicans taking a position at $300M new spending on Public Education Only, you need to understand a few critical things.

First, $300M New On-Going money is $15M more than we have in surplus dollars for Public Education (or ALL education for that matter).  Of the $762M in Total On-Going money, $285M is the On-Going money in the “Education Fund.”  [Note: The Education Fund, funds both Public Ed K-12 AND Higher Ed]  The remainder ($477M) of the On-Going surplus dollars are General Fund monies, and by statue, are “earmarked” for other purposes.

Second, If the Legislature “earmarks” $300M in On-Going surplus dollars exclusively for Public Education funding, it represents an increase of 8.8% growth in the State portion of Public Education funding over FY2007.  And, if you add last year’s State Public Ed growth of 12.8% to this years House commitment of 8.8% dollars from On-Going surplus it equals 21.6% Public Education growth two years running.  That’s substantial growth.  Just imagine if your personal household budget grew over 20% every two years. 

Third, we haven’t even begun to consider the One-Time surplus monies “earmarked” for Public Education.  The amount, you ask…$554M.  [Note: It is the general philosophy of Legislative leadership NOT to fund On-Going programs and projects with One-Time money! -- this is sound fiscal policy if kept in practice.]  Out of the Total One-Time surplus monies of $805M, $554M is in the Education Fund and $251M is in the General Fund.  (General Fund money is “earmarked” for genral fund administration projects and programs, by statute.)

Finally, (since everyone seems to think this is A RACE between the 50 states) by spending $300M in On-Going surplus money for Public Education (holding all 50 state current data constant), Utah can pass #50 Arizona in Per Pupil Spending.  Although, Utah can pass #50 Arizona in Per Pupil Spending, Utah cannot pass #49 Arkansas who spent $6,202 per student (in 2005).  Utah would have to spend $488.1M in additional On-Going money to move from its current 51st position to catch up to #49 Arkansas.  To get to #48 Oklahoma…$522.3M…#47 Mississippi…$615.6M…#46 Nevada…$652.8M…and so forth.  To WIN the RACE…Utah would have to pass Washington DC.  And, WHAT’S THE COST OF WINNING THAT RACE…$5,012,397,936.00 (rounded up to the nearest dollar) PER YEAR IN ON-GOING MONEY!  Five Billion Dollars!  The PROBLEM with being in THIS RACE…everybody else in this race is “running,” too.  #50 Arizona, will undoubtedly increase its Public Education spending this year pushing UT back into 51st place once again.  (They have a surplus, too!)  And, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Nevada will increase their Public Ed spending simultaneously…once again forcing UT to finish last in this race of inevitable perpetuity.

How much money is ENOUGH?  Since it is YOU and I that pay the Public Education bill through 100% of our Personal Income Taxes (and on a local level approximately 67% of our property tax bill), how much more are we willing to spend to get Utah’s Public Education “adequately” funded?  Maybe I can help you with that answer by asking you to participate in a little exercise…

A LITTLE EXERCISE

[Note: This exercise is much more FUN and REALISTIC if you ACTUALLY go through the motions--Try It!]

Reach into your back pocket, pull out your wallet (or purse), open it up, grab all the dollars out of it you want to go to increase Public Education spending, stuff them in an envelope, place the appropriate amount of postage on the envelope (that will depend on the weight of the money you’ve placed into the envelope–no coins, please), before you seal the envelope, slip a little note in there that says you want this money to go to Public Ed, address the envelope filled with your money to THE UTAH STATE TAX COMMISSION, 210 NORTH 1950 WEST, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84134, grab your keys, get into your car (don’t forget your envelope), and drive down to your local post office.  Now, get out of your car, take the envelope filled with the extra Public Education dollars and walk over to the mail box.  Open the front of the mail box…this is where it starts to get difficult…holding tightly to the envelope, place the letter near the opening of the mailbox…AND…now I’ll let you decide what to do with it from this point.

Oh…and…you have to be “willing” to participate in this exercise every year.

Did you enjoy the EXERCISE? 

Each year as the Tax Comission collects “extra,” surplus dollars from the taxpayers of Utah, we in reality go through this little exercise…with one exception…as you are standing there at the mailbox with your arm outstretched contemplating the absence of that hard earned cash, somebody from inside the box grabs the letter from the other side, and…POOF! It’s gone.  (Remember, possession is nine-tenths…) 

Each year, we, the Legislature AND the Taxpayers of Utah, must thoughtfully consider a critical question…HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?  SO…HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH THIS YEAR? AND, NEXT YEAR?  AND, THE NEXT?  HOW MUCH DOES IT TAKE EVERY YEAR TO ADEQUATELY FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION?