Trains and Boats and Planes

Why should educators care about the Governor’s transportation plan – other than being happy that someone may finally be doing something about the traffic in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads?

If the money wasn’t taken, in part, from funding for our schools - we wouldn’t.

But, McDonnell’s plan takes a good deal of money from the General Fund, the portion of the budget traditionally used to fund core services such as education.

So how much will our schools lose if the Governor’s plan passes?

The take from the General Fund grows from year to year:

2014 - $48 million

2015 - $102 million

2016 - $158 million

2017 - $219 million

2018 – $283 million

Five Year Total = $810

Public Education currently receives approximately 30% of General Fund Revenues.  So how much would we lose?

2014 - $14 million

2015 - $31 million

2016 - $47 million

2017 - $66 million

2018 - $85 million

Five Year Total = $243 million

When our state currently ranks 38^th in per pupil state support for public education, we can hardly stand to lose a quarter of a billion dollars for our schools over the next five years.  Shouldn’t we fix our roads without taking funding for our schools?