Wesley S -

The "reluctance" to fund education programs can come from many reasons. In my state, a State Supreme Court decision found the schools "underfunded" according to the requirements of the State Constitution.

One Senate committee chairman essentially blocked meaningful consideration of increased school funding for three years, (IMO) solely so that a bunch of "pork barrel projects" could be funded first. He, and those cooperating, were reasonably sure that more money for schools would pass, because it was needed, but the other projects that required frivolous (and some fairly large) tax increases might not have had a good chance shortly after a tax adjustment for the schools - so they had to get the money for their friends first.

John