School aid bill advances

LINCOLN -- The Legislature's Education Committee advanced a bill Tuesday that would keep state school aid from growing next year.

Legislative Bill 5 would make a $31 million difference in state aid, with all districts feeling some effects.

The proposal makes a smaller cut than the $47 million proposed by the governor as part of a plan to close a $334 million hole in the state budget for the two-year period ending June 30, 2011.

Sen. Greg Adams of York, the Education Committee chairman, said new projections show that state aid would grow at a slower pace than expected next year under current law.

That means the state can balance its budget with smaller changes in the aid formula.

But committee members still agonized about the changes.

Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha asked repeatedly whether the cuts had to be made and whether they needed to be as large.

"(The bill) is a big, big cut even though they can probably make it," he said.

Other members said they saw few alternatives.

Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm said the aid formula had to change because of the state’s plunging revenue figures.

"We’re trying to make it fit reality," he said of the formula.

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