July 10, 2009
Senator Deig: State budget has negative impact on local schools
The budget that was passed did not receive the vote of State Senator Bob Deig, D-49. In an e-mail statement July 1 to constituents, Senator Deig said he was “relieved that a compromise was reached and a budget passed,” but he could not support the budget “due to the negative impact on local schools.”
He said, “Over the next two years Mount Vernon schools are projected to lose more than $666,000, and North Posey schools will see more than $585,000 cut from their budget.”
He went on to say, “This state budget could be the demise of New Harmony, a historic school with a proud tradition of quality education. New Harmony schools are projected to lose over $239,000 in state funding over the next two years, cutting about 5 percent of the school budget each year. New Harmony was the first school in the nation to offer kindergarten, it offered the first free public library, and was a pioneer in providing gender equality in education. Now it faces a huge funding loss under the governor’s blade.”