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School Officials Plead for More Money

The House Budget committee heard testimony today (Tuesday) from public school officials who complained the legislature's budget cuts would hurt schools in Missouri.

Missy Shelton reports.

Lawmakers listened to testimony from school board members like Dr. Daryl Swaford.

He's the president of the Raytown School Board.

Swaford mentioned his district is looking at possible teacher lay-offs in light of the budget cuts lawmakers approved during regular session.

But that led to some tough questions from members of the House Budget committee like Republican representative Bryan Stevenson.

Swaford recommended lawmakers consider raising money for education by putting a tax increase package on the ballot.

He says he believes the public will respond to a call for more education funding.

But some republican lawmakers argue there's no point putting a tax increase before voters when their constituents are telling them it will fail.

Republican Bryan Stevenson says even his own school board is telling him raising taxes isn't the answer to increasing education funding.

Stevenson and other Republicans say they don't expect to send the governor a budget much different from the one he vetoed last week.

As it becomes increasingly apparent that Republican legislative leaders aren't willing to siften their anti-tax stance, some democratic lawmakers are discussing the possibility of getting a tax package on the ballot through an initiative petition.

SOC