State reps ask Holden to release education funding

House Speaker Catherine Hanaway and other state representatives traveled to three school districts Monday and publicly asked Gov. Bob Holden to release the $197 million in Department of Elementary and Secondary Education funding he withheld in July.

Their first stop was Cape Girardeau, where Hanaway told a small group of educators at the Cape Girardeau School Board office that the state's revenue is now up 5.1 percent over 2002-03.

Hanaway said Holden was anticipating a continued downturn of the state's economy when he made the withholdings, but since that hasn't occurred, the money should be released.

"School districts are really feeling the results of those withholdings," Hanaway said. "They're making personnel cuts and program cuts."

A task force made up of Cape Girardeau community members and educators is in the process of the cutting $2.2 million from the district's budget.

Holden, at a news conference in Jefferson City, maintained his withholding action was necessary because the Republican-led legislature failed to provide revenue sufficient to cover appropriations. He said it is too early to tell if the growth will be sustained.

Linda Luebbering, the state budget director, said taxpayer refunds will cost at least $100 million more than accounted for in the budget due to the federal tax cut.

"Collections have to be running high to compensate for money that will be paid back to taxpayers later," she said.

Monica Gaines, one of three Marble Hill, Mo., parents who showed up at the Cape Girardeau news conference, said she's heard discussions about cutting teaching positions in her district and wanted to show her support for the release of the education funding.

"It seems like schools always need money," Gaines said. "Parents constantly have to raise money for school stuff, and now they've cut the budget. It worries me."

The group of legislators brought with them a petition asking for the governor to release the funding. It is also posted on the House Web site at www.house.mo.gov.

According to Hanaway, the state's revenue increased $98,000 over last year in the first four months of the 2004 fiscal year, which began in July, and there are "safety nets" should the economy dive again. One is $200 million in federal "stimulation" money the state received earlier this year, she said, which wasn't included in the 5.1 percent revenue growth figure.

Hanaway and the other representatives present at the news conference -- Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, Gayle Kingery, R- Poplar Bluff and Otto Bean, R- Holcomb -- each took a turn at the podium making personal pleas for Gov. Holden to release the education funding.

cclark@semissourian.com

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