Budget issues continue to be ironed out at the State Capitol, and the one major concerns remains to be education.

District 47 Representative Chip Baltimore says the House continues to take the stance on a one and a quarter percent increase in state supplemental aid for schools.  That would generate $100 million of additional revenue, but the Senate’s proposal is still higher than that.  Baltimore explains the House’s proposal is taking in $.55 of every dollar of projected revenue for the next fiscal year.

Meanwhile, school districts had to have their budgets certified last week.  Greene County Schools Superintendent Tim Christensen says their budget includes the one and a quarter percent increase.  However, he describes what the district will have to do if the legislature agrees on a lower percentage.

“Would have to increase local property taxes and still would need to probably look at making some cuts, in terms of-not necessarily certified staff-but what we’re doing with associates and some of those things, we may have to look at some cuts related to that, if the budget doesn’t come through where we think it’s going to.”

Baltimore feels confident that school districts can plan on their $100 million proposal.

“I think that school districts can safely certify their budgets based on 1.25 percent, because that’s the lowest amount that’s been promised.”

The issue remains in a conference committee.