Our sister blog the Buzz reports that Gov. Crist reiterated this morning his desire to see less education budget cutting than the Legislature has proposed in its latest round of appropriations.
"I'm grateful, as governor, that you have that opportunity. There are line item opportunities that you can review, and I've been reviewing them," Crist told reporters, mentioning in particular the line items for the Merit Award Program for teachers.
Lawmakers told the Gradebook that they had heard the governor might wield his veto pen, but they didn't want to speculate on how they might react until he actually does something. They haven't even approved the budget changes yet, after all. Stay tuned.
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Cut the MAP bologna. Cut the AP incentive if it still exists. Veto the proposed cuts.
Posted by: Diane | January 14, 2009 at 01:07 AM
Crist and friends are cutting the National Boards supplements left and right and trying to veto the cuts to money for Merit Award Pay? Isn't that a bit ridiculous?
Posted by: NB Teacher | January 13, 2009 at 08:52 PM
Stop cutting funding for schools! We need educated children to take charge in the future. Or is it more important to keep smokers happy AND use money and resources to treat their ilnesses in the future....
Posted by: Annette | January 13, 2009 at 07:19 PM
Forget about MAP right now! Teachers- good, bad, and ugly aren't thinking about bonuses. Make sure you can pay them without asking them to take salary cuts next school year. Increase the cigarette tax or whatever you have to do but stop cutting funding to education! Even before the recession education in this state was underfunded.
Posted by: Alan | January 13, 2009 at 06:20 PM
Gov. Christ best kiss those approval ratings behind. Those school children and hospitalized children have parents and grandparents.
Try a novel concept Florida Legislators...rather than cutting funds again, simply fund state mandated programs that have crushed scool districts in recent years. Then find another source of revenue that won't impact the Sate workforce for years to come.
Posted by: Carole | January 13, 2009 at 04:57 PM
Time to email Charlie:
Fund the class size amendment!!!!!
http://www.flgov.com/contact_governor
Posted by: | January 13, 2009 at 02:17 PM
MAP???? How about class size ammendment!
Posted by: | January 13, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Veto... Veto...Veto...Fund class size amendment sufficiently, it is in the constitution!!!! It is the law....
Posted by: Go Charlie | January 13, 2009 at 12:20 PM