On Wednesday, the Senate Education Finance and Taxation Committee approved the Governor's recommended budget for fiscal year 2010 without making changes. However, committee chair Senator Hank Sanders of Selma indicated that the budget legislation would undergo significant changes before it reached the floor of the Senate, which could be as early as next Tuesday. Apparently most of the changes will be made within the K-12 section of the budget, reducing funds for some of the Governor's special education initiatives and increasing funds that directly support teacher salaries. It appears that dramatic shifts in higher education funding will be avoided.

At this point, USA's recommended funding for next year is $107,637,161. This is A 2.93% reduction in funding from the current year and a total cut of 23% since fiscal year 2008.

As reported last week, federal stimulus money, which is over and above the $107,637,161 state appropriation, will probably be $10.9 million next year and another $10.9 million in fiscal year 2011.

On Wednesday the General Fund Senate Finance and Taxation Committee gave a favorable report to Senate Bill 581 that proposes to address the financial problems being experienced by the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) plan. This is the bill I asked you to call your senators about yesterday. If you have not called, please see the e-mail I sent to you yesterday and call your senator today. The bill is very harmful to USA and our senators need to hear from all of us.