OSN is headed by some pretty politically savvy folks, like Nolan Karras, a former GOP speaker of the Utah House and a finalist in the 2004 Republican Party gubernatorial primary.
In an interview with UtahPolicy Managing Editor Bryan Schott, Karras says his group is not fighting against anyone, nor any institution – like the Legislature he once led.
But, pointing to a new Utah Foundation study, Karras says while public schools have gotten more money recently, over the last 19 years the “effort” by Utah taxpayers (as measured as the taxes paid toward education) has decreased.
And, in fact, today schools are receiving $1.2 billion a year LESS a year than they would be getting if any number of tax and spending changes had not been made by state leaders.
Herbert and GOP legislative leaders admit more money must come to schools.
But they say now is not the time for the $750 million annual increase OSN would bring; that there are other state taxes that could be “reformed” to bring in more money for schools; and such a tax hike could harm Utah’s thriving economy.
Some GOP lawmakers want to create a special school funding task force, which would examine K-12 spending for two years.
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