BIA backs constitutional amendment for funding education

By TOM FAHEY
State House Bureau Chief
Tuesday, Mar. 16, 2010

CONCORD – The Business and Industry Association has endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that would change language related to school funding.

The BIA president Jim Roche said the organization gives "strong support" to CACR 34, which would give to the Legislature the power to define an adequate education, and give it the freedom to target state aid dollars to needy districts.

Two years ago, Gov. John Lynch urged passage of a similar amendment, which failed in the House. The New Hampshire Senate is due to vote tomorrow on the latest version of the amendment, sponsored by a group of Republican senators.

State Supreme Court rulings have said the state is obligated to pay for every dollar it costs to provide every student with an adequate education.

The BIA said in a statement yesterday that the current method of funding education "is unsustainable and impractical. Spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year without regard to the fiscal disparities that exist between municipalities is poor educational and fiscal policy."

The Senate Judiciary Committee has recommended the bill be killed, by a vote of 4-1.

Senate Republican Leader Peter Bragdon of Milford said he welcomed BIA's support "in calling for reasonable flexibility in education funding decisions."

The BIA, the state's largest business organization, said without the amendment, "state education spending will dramatically increase, considerably widening the budget gap that already exists."