By Paul Anger, 2nd vice chair, Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee
The Louisiana Budget Project and the Advocate/Times-Picayune today both skewered Louisiana Legislators, who have again – again – ignored funding needs for education in Louisiana, which shamefully trails the nation in so many measurable outcomes. Teachers and school employees still need higher pay. And now Louisiana is about to deny up to 16,000 children access to early childhood education.
QUOTING THE LA BUDGET PROJECT: “Lawmakers aren’t prioritizing kids. Louisiana’s early care and education system is currently being supported by $200 million in temporary federal funding that needs to be replaced by state funding, or else 16,000 children will lose access to essential programs. Gov. John Bel Edwards proposed to cover $52 million of the shortfall, which would still prevent as many as 4,000 from losing access. But the Legislature has mostly balked.” Visit www.labudget.org and sign up for its excellent daily email!
QUOTING THE ADVOCATE/TIMES-PICAYUNE: “We were astonished to see the House cut Edwards’ proposed funding for early childhood and immediately add about the same amount of money for local projects. And we were disappointed when the Senate reinstated only $14 million, a sliver of the original $52 million ask. For reasons that nobody bothered to explain, the long-term future of children was put on hold for shorter-term priorities … The sad part is that even when lawmakers from all sides claim to be in favor of helping kids make it in life, the money to launch them remains a low priority year after year.”