Budget deal reached

By Rep. RICK WEST

After an entire session of negotiating, the House and Senate finally agreed on a state budget that maintains all state core service funding.

The $8.3 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022 includes $800 million in savings, which takes us over $1 billion. This rebuilds our reserves that shrunk during the pandemic.

This budget also includes $210.3 million more for education this year than we appropriated last year. This meets the requirements of House Bill 1017, passed in the 1990s, and means we can finally reduce class sizes in kindergarten and first grade, which will help our young students in core subjects like reading and math. Research shows smaller class sizes in these early grades bring good results throughout a child’s entire school years. These kids will have a better chance of graduating on time, be better prepared for higher learning and have a much better shot of getting a decent paying job in the future.

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