Democrats' Education Proposals Have Hefty Price

Published July 11, 2010 at 9:25 a.m.

ATLANTA (AP) The Democrats running for governor are bemoaning the sorry state of Georgia's schools and promising smaller classes, no more teacher furloughs and a longer school year.

But those big promises come with a big price tag.

Simply restoring recently enacted cuts to the state's funding formula for schools would cost about $1.1 billion. Extras like further reducing class size, hiring new teachers and adding on even more days to the school year would boost the cost far higher.

And the state could be facing another $1 billion budget shortfall next year as federal stimulus money dries up.

So how do they do the math?

Attorney General Thurbert Baker has the most detailed proposal. He wants to open electronic bingo parlors operated by the state lottery and funnel the cash to classrooms. But some say the plan would be a tough sell in a Republican-led state Legislature and that Baker's revenue projections $2 billion a year in new money for education after 10 years are wildly optimistic.

Former Gov. Roy Barnes believes he would need to scrape together about $1 billion to get schools back on track. He is pledging to eliminate a host of special interest tax exemptions but won't yet say which ones. Barnes says he won't touch the state sales tax exemptions on groceries, which benefits all Georgians rather than a select company or interest group. But the grocery tax exemption is a big one. Recent estimates say it's worth around $558 million a year.

Some including Baker are skeptical he can find the cash without it.

``I think he's promised way more than he can deliver,'' Baker told The Associated Press.

``We know that there are only a finite number of tax exemptions out there. So, Mr. Barnes is going to have to go down that list and tell you exactly what he hopes to take off the board to pay for education.''

A tally of all the sales tax exemptions in Georgia is difficult to come by. A study is underway to see just how much they're costing the state.

David Sjoquist, director of the Fiscal Research Center at Georgia State University, said it would be difficult for any candidate to deliver $1 billion by erasing tax exemptions, especially with the hefty one on groceries off the table.

``I just don't think the money's there,'' he said.

Although he wouldn't offer specifics, Barnes argues he can do just that.

``You have to establish that the priority of the state of Georgia is educating its children,'' Barnes told The AP.

``I can wring $1 billion out of sales and income tax exemptions out of the budget. I guarantee you that.''

But Barnes also contends he might not have to. He said he could rake in another $500 million by improving sales tax collections in the state to gather taxes currently not being collected.

There are also questions about whether Baker's bingo gambit would ante up all the cash he says it would. Baker is counting on $2 billion a year from bingo after it is phased in over a decade. That would be more than double the $872 million the lottery provided last year for education.

Democrats have also talked about the need to spend on other priorities for Georgia, like building new reservoirs and restoring homeowner tax relief grants. But schools are, by far, the big-ticket item for Democrats.

Concern is high over cuts that have reached deep into classrooms forcing teacher layoffs, furlough days for school staff and elimination of extras like summer and after-school programs.

Georgia has been making some progress in improving test scores but still lags behind the national average. And education advocates fear any improvements could be reversed if funding cuts continue.

Republicans running for governor have talked about education less than their Democratic counterparts. When they have, they have generally said that schools should be given more flexibility to spend the money that they have.

Democrats have blamed the state's ruling Republicans for cuts to education that have totaled some $3 billion in recent years.

Barnes and Baker are both running television ads that focus heavily on education and funding for it.

Two other candidates in the contest House Minority Leader DuBose Porter and former Georgia National Guard Commander David Poythress have also called for additional money for schools.

Porter wants smaller class sizes and more technology in the classroom. He was among the first to call for better collection of sales tax revenue to foot the bill, and Barnes has credited him for the idea.

Poythress has likewise promoted improved sales tax collections as well as cuts to wasteful spending.

They are among the seven Democrats vying for their party's nomination in the state's July 20 primary.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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