By Rebecca Feldhaus/KPR
Frankfort, KY – The Kentucky Education Association is urging state lawmakers to reach a compromise on a new state budget. Sharon Oxendine, who chairs the 41-thousand member organization, says KEA has no preference between the House and Senate budget proposals.
"And the reason why is because there is not adequate funding. We've had studies, back in 2004, that showed that public schools in Kentucky were under-funded in excess of a billion dollars. So, I would say over the course of these last six years, we're getting closer to two billion. And what we're asking for now is to just maintain funding."
Oxendine says KEA supports comprehensive tax reform and expanded gambling, but leaves it to lawmakers to find the money needed to meet the needs of Kentucky's school children. In Oxendine's words, "That's their job."