By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — The legislative Joint Adequacy Evaluation Oversight Subcommittee today backed off of its recommendation to increase per-student school funding by $69 million next year.
Last week, the panel voted to recommend inflationary increases in per-student funding of 2.5 percent next year and 2.9 percent the year after to the House and Senate public education committees. The recommendations were based on inflationary indicators from two financial analysis services, Moody’s and Global Insight.
Today, the subcommittee agreed to expunge the previous vote. Several members expressed concern the panel was moving too fast and said they wanted more information before settling on a recommendation.
Legislators did not substitute a different recommended increase but said they would meet again Tuesday to continue studying the matter.
Wednesday is the deadline for the subcommittee to submit a report containing its recommendations to the House and Senate public education panels, which can make changes before passing the recommendations on to the Joint Budget Committee.
“We’re going to be ready” to submit a report by the deadline, said Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena, the subcommittee’s chairman.
Some legislators said they had heard the governor’s office was concerned the process was moving too quickly. Matt DeCample, spokesman for Gov. Mike Beebe, confirmed later that Beebe had voiced some concern.
“We didn’t see any of the numbers involved in the recommendation until last week, so we want some time to look at them and draw some stronger conclusions,” DeCample said.
Two years ago, the subcommittee recommended an inflationary increase of between 1.6 percent and 2.8 percent, and the Legislature ultimately decided on a 2 percent increase. Some subcommittee members said today they would like to recommend a range again.
“If we look at a range, that will give us all a whole lot more comfort,” said Rep. Steve Breedlove, D-Greenwood.
Sen. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette, questioned whether economic growth would justify increases of 2.5 and 2.9 percent. He moved that the subcommittee once again recommend a range of increase of 1.6 percent-2.8 percent.
Abernathy said state law required the subcommittee to make a recommendation based on data, and Hendren’s motion was based on opinion.
“I don’t really want to go to jail,” Abernathy said.
Hendren said he based his suggestion on what he had heard from constituents about the economy.
“We talk about these experts in Washington and New York and all these consulting firms — that’s what got us into this mess, in my opinion,” Hendren said.
The motion failed in a voice vote.
Some legislators suggested the panel could submit a report Wednesday but later amend it.
“A report can be issued with whatever recommendations that we are today comfortable with, and then (we can) come back and supplement that at a later date,” said Sen. Johnny Key, R-Mountain Home.
