House and Senate Education leaders are hoping to reach a compromise on how to deal with the spending thresholds of Act 46. They don't have much time because many school boards are in the process of finalizing their budgets for next year.
Next Tuesday, it's expected that both the House and Senate will vote on legislation that changes the spending caps of Act 46, the state's new school district consolidation law.
The two chambers are considering very different approaches. The House bill increases each town's spending threshold by roughly 1 percent to reflect higher health care costs. The Senate plan repeals the caps completely.
The big question is whether lawmakers can reach a compromise in a very short period of time.
House Education chairman David Sharpe says the worst outcome is if the House and Senate deadlock on this issue because that means the current system of caps will remain in place.
"Dithering and not finding a conclusion is always problematic,” says Sharpe. “And it leaves school boards and voters trying to figure out where to go from here."
Sharpe doesn't want to repeal the spending thresholds but he is willing to make them less onerous.
"We've listened to the concerns of school boards and superintendents across the state and while we feel strongly that cost containment needs to be in place there is reason to believe that it should be softened." — House Education chairman David Sharpe
"I think we've listened to the concerns of school boards and superintendents across the state and while we feel strongly that cost containment needs to be in place there is reason to believe that it should be softened."
Senate Education chairwoman Ann Cummings says the current spending caps are unfair to communities that have low per pupil spending levels and she says any compromise needs to reflect her concerns.
"I think a compromise that I'd be looking for is one that did not impact the low spending towns,” Cummings explains. “The towns that have done everything we've asked them to do and does not negatively impact the educational quality of students."
"Anyone that's worked with me in the Senate knows that on any issue I try to find common ground at all possible... I think we're all working as hard and fast as we can." — Senate Education chairwoman Ann Cummings
And Cummings is optimistic that the House and Senate will be able to reach a compromise over this issue.
"Anyone that's worked with me in the Senate knows that on any issue I try to find common ground at all possible,” says Cummings. “I think we're all working as hard and fast as we can."
There's also a block of lawmakers who don't want to change the spending thresholds because they feel the caps are an effective way to contain spending. The question is whether this group is large enough to block a compromise from passing in either the House or the Senate.
