Utah's largest teachers' union is opposing proposed changes to the Utah Constitution that would remove the state's current requirement that income tax revenues go only to public education and child and disability services.
The Utah Education Association Board of Directors voted unanimously Thursday to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment that Utah voters will consider this November. The Utah State Legislature placed the issue on the 2024 ballot when it passed SJR10 last year.
SJR10 asks voters to decide whether to allow the state's income tax revenue to also be used to pay for “other state needs.” The change would specify in Utah's constitution that the state can use some of its revenue increases for “changes in student population and long-term inflation,” and then only for other priorities.
Supporters of SJR10 argue that SJR10 still protects education spending, but critics argue that the language is not strong enough to ensure that Congress funds education at adequate levels. It claims that it is not included.
Until Thursday, the teachers union's board said it had “not taken a position” on the proposed constitutional amendment.
“This decision has not been taken lightly,” UEA President Renee Pinckney wrote in an email to teachers' union members, which was also posted on the association's website on Thursday. “The UEA Board believes that the proposed amendments go against our values and challenge what we stand for.”
Pinckney said the UEA believes that “all children, no matter their race, background, who they are or where they live, can develop a strong sense of belonging in a place where their curiosity is encouraged and where they are welcomed, safe and resourced. “I believe that people have the right to learn in public classrooms with a wealth of knowledge,” he wrote. And creativity comes alive. ”
But Utah “has not yet achieved a fully funded public education system,” she said.
Critics of eliminating Utah's education benefits say the state, known for its large families and young population, has long lagged behind other states, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It points out that the school has historically ranked at the bottom of the nation in terms of per-student spending. However, in 2021, Utah surpassed Idaho and moved up one spot to No. 50 in the nation.
“UEA has been committed to public education for more than 150 years, and we will not compromise our values now,” Pinckney said.
This year, the UEA called on lawmakers to fund a 12% increase in the weighted pupil unit, the per-pupil rate used to calculate how much money each school should receive. Instead, Congress increased funding by 5% to $212 million.
Pinckney also criticized lawmakers for shifting funding to private schools in recent years.
“Astonishingly, during the past two legislative sessions, Congress has appropriated $82 million for the newly created (and not yet launched) private school voucher program,” she said. Imagine what this funding could do to meet the ever-growing needs of public school students and educators. ”
Last year, the Utah Legislature created a scholarship, dubbed the Utah Fits All Scholarship, that provides qualifying K-12 students with $8,000 toward private school tuition, after-school programs, or other educational expenses. was founded.
Lawmakers last year donated $42 million toward establishing the Utah Fitz-All Scholarship Voucher Program. This is enough for 5,000 students to each receive $8,000 starting in the 2024-2025 school year. This year, even though the voucher program hasn't even started yet, the lawmakers who created it called for an additional $150 million, saying demand exceeds what has been funded so far. However, legislative leaders did not grant all of their requests, but did give the program an additional $40 million.
Senate president criticizes UEA opposition
Senate President Stuart Adams issued a statement on Thursday expressing disappointment with the UEA's opposition to the constitutional amendment “given Congress' continued dedication to prioritizing education.”
“Our track record speaks volumes about our commitment to education, as evidenced by our 94 percent increase in education funding over the past 10 years,” Adams said.
The constitutional amendment's sponsors, Sen. Dan McKay (R-Riverton) and Rep. Karen Peterson (R-Clinton), also issued a statement saying education remains a “top priority” for the Utah Legislature. he claimed.
“We are grateful to our educators, who have nearly doubled public education funding over the past decade,” McKay and Peterson said. “The education budget is $8.43 billion, an increase of $832 million this year alone.”
Mr Adams also criticized the timing of UEA's opposition.
“I specifically asked them for feedback during this Congress,” he said. “UEA chose not to engage and waited until the end of the session to change its official position. It would be more productive and effective for stakeholders to come to the table and propose solutions.”
But House Minority Leader Angela Romero, a Salt Lake City Democrat, supported UEA's decision to oppose the constitutional amendment, saying if passed it would allow Congress to “redirect funding away from public schools.” Stated.
“I support UEA’s decision to oppose SJR10 because this proposed amendment to the Utah Constitution is inconsistent with the critical need to invest in our public education system,” Romero said. Stated.
She also urged Utah voters to familiarize themselves with what they will be voting on in November.
“By voting no on this constitutional amendment, you will protect Utah's public school system and ensure every child has the opportunity to receive a quality education,” she said.
Why would the Utah Legislature want to remove Utah's education quota?
In 1946, the Utah Constitution was amended to specify that 100% of the state's income tax revenue must be used exclusively for public education. This constitutional quota has been relaxed twice, including in 1996 to allow income tax revenues to be used for public higher education, and in 2020 to allow for more social services for children and people with disabilities. This includes the liberalization of income tax.
Legislative leaders have long warned that the state budget faces a structural imbalance between sales and income tax revenues. Leading up to last year's passage of SJR10, Republican lawmakers maintained that education remained a funding priority and said removing the appropriation would allow for more flexibility in the budget.
There is also another measure that depends on whether voters pass SJR10. It's a $200 million tax cut that eliminates the state's share of food taxes. This is something advocates for low-income Utahns have been calling for for years.
Making the elimination of the state food tax conditional on eliminating the state's constitutional limits on income tax spending on education is a move by some in the Republican-controlled Utah Legislature that borders on Washington, D.C. politics. The move was called “gamesmanship” by Democratic lawmakers.
But Adams and other Republican legislative leaders argue that SJR 10 was written to protect education funding while also allowing more flexibility in the state's budget.
“This proposed constitutional amendment has a dual benefit: it guarantees new protections for education funding in a way that flexibly responds to the nation's pressing needs, while also eliminating the burden of sales tax on food products.” said Mr. Adams.
McKay and Peterson said SJR10 is “good for education and good for Utah families.”
“SJR10 prioritizes education funding in the state constitution and strengthens our commitment to education by ensuring students and educators have the resources they need while giving voters the opportunity to eliminate the state sales tax on food. ” they said.
Utah News Dispatch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news source that covers government, policy and the issues that most impact the lives of Utahns.
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