Rep. Marra Supports Fully Funding Special Education

Providing a path forward without resorting to fiscal gimmicks that circumvent the state’s spending cap like a controversial plan pushed by Democrats, State Representative Tracy Marra (R-141) on Wednesday voted in strong support of a Republican proposal to provide more financial relief to cities and towns by fully funding the special education Excess Cost Grant.

Offering a distinct contrast to the backroom deal that legislative Democrats and the governor agreed to late last night, today’s Republican amendment would send $108 million to municipalities for special education costs through a straightforward budget appropriation.

“I am fully supportive of funding our schools and special education which is why I once again supported a Republican proposal that would have provided enough resources to fully fund the state’s current special education needs without resorting to off-budget accounts,” Rep. Marra said. “Unfortunately, Democrats instead chose to mess with the state’s fiscal guardrails by removing these funds and putting them in a separate account that is not subject to the spending or revenue caps. This is a slippery slope tilting toward bad governance.”

During our session last year, House Republicans proposed a budget that would have specifically set aside funds for our schools. Democrats chose not to act on our budget, and we are now in this situation. And the governor has already acknowledged that our current state budget surplus is going to be decimated by overruns in Medicaid. He chose to veto this measure, knowing our state budget will be stretched by the end of the fiscal year.

In order to avoid an embarrassing veto override that was led in part by members of his own party, the governor and legislative Democrats secured a deal to spend the same $40 million from the same surplus, but this time it’s being rerouted through a newly created off-budget account to sidestep the spending cap.

Rep. Marra and Republicans argue that this move sets a dangerous precedent.

Democrats once again rejected the Republican amendment to fully fund special education on a 98-47 vote.