As a former Wichita school board member, House Assistant Minority Leader Jim Ward (in photo), D-Wichita, should have known his vote against a bill to provide Wichita schools with an extra $1.1 million would raise eyebrows and even ire — especially because the bill failed by one vote. But he was thinking about “big picture stuff,†he told The Eagle editorial board today. “The policy’s absolutely right†— to put more dollars into high-poverty urban districts, as a state audit urged. But the bill would have yanked hundreds of thousands of dollars from rural districts, rather than cushion the loss. That isn’t how school-finance formula changes usually are made, he said. “It just wasn’t fair. Plus, we need those folks that were getting hurt to help us on some other stuff†— Wichita funding needs of as much as $50 million in state money related to medical education, airfares, aviation training and research.
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8 Comments
I understand the need for “horse trading” in the Legislature. I’ve a question, however: Rep. Ward noted that pulling the money from the rural districts “wasn’t fair” without any details. Was the “wasn’t fair” remark directed at the process, or at reducing funding that the state audit determined to be needed by these rural districts? If the former, life’s not always fair. If the latter, then why the attempt?
VT
Maybe Mr. Ward is setting himself up for a run for higher office?
Just a question, no evidence at all one way or the other.
However, if the “formula” is supposed to figure out how to “divide the pie” — how can we say we are following any formula, if we “add” money to those whose “slice of the pie” is reduced?
Econ, we cannot, unless the size of the pie is not held constant. As I understand it, this is part of the problem facing the Legislature this year with reference to school finance. The Senate wanted to pass a two year bill, with an increase scheduled for the second year, to which the leadership in the House objects. Somehow, this is connected to the vote by Mr. Ward. I’m not up on the school finance legislation, so I’ve no germane comments otherwise.
VT
I will say, though Mr. Ward often grates on my nerves, he does tend to really understand budgets, and he has no patience for waste.
Therefore, I am guessing he has his reasons for what he did.
Not very transparent, to us, but I am sure he has his own reasons.
True, Econ; he does understand budgets. I’m a bit like you; while we may not be able to ascertain his reasons, he has them, and, from my experience in observing him on the BOE and now in the legislature, his reasons have a good foundation.
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