About that veto
Gov. Huckabee explains here why he vetoed that bill to fund a science specialist program. It's going to be up for an override vote of the legislature later this week.
Huckabee is right on principle, but he's wrong if the only option now is to sustain his veto and end or put a big question mark on a worthy program.
Huckabee is right in griping that this is yet another federal program on which the state inherits the cost now that federal money has run out. He's right in saying it's better funded out of general revenue or the huge state surplus. (He's right in thinking, if he didn't say it, that legislators are greedy hogs who are rubbing hands with glee at the thought of filling Bigelow potholes in 2007 with that growing surplus.)
But he's wrong to suggest Higher Education scholarship funds, which will be used for interim support, are imperiled by the small appropriation. There's a healthy surplus there for a temporary source of money. Let it be spent, but the legislature shouldn't use funny money to perpetuate the program in 2007.
Comments
Hey Gov-You either believe in education or you don't. This is an important area that needs to be reinforced. You have a point on the funding source but until you get the Rep part of the "brotherhood" under control, this is partly your issue (and Asa!'s). THree years is still 36 months, even with teh new math and someone should have seen it coming.
Posted by: Fed Up to Here | April 19, 2006 05:53 PM
Gov seems to appreciate a better relationship with the Ledge, praises them as the best ever, then vetoes a minor bill that didn't receive a single no vote when it passed. Seems schizophrenic to me. Why would he pick this fight?
Posted by: Observer | April 20, 2006 07:17 AM
$400,000,000 in surplus and they can't use $500,000 to provide science teachers? Giddyup Jeffress boys. At least the Lazy Double Screw You Riding Club in Crossett will have new bleachers. Why don't ya'll just whistle on down to the fishing hole with the rest of the kids down there that can't get a good education thanks to you guys. You know the saying, take a kid fishing and feed him for a day, teach him to fish.....
Posted by: Al Fornaut | April 20, 2006 07:24 AM
Al,
You are once messed up individual. The Jeffress boys were part of the coalition that battled the Brotherhood, wanting to use GIF dollars for statewide purposes instead of local pork projects. One of them is a co-sponsor of the bill to fund science specialists that the Governor has vetoed.
Don't know what the remainder of your rant is all about, but you can take it and put it where Tommy Robinson once suggested they could place something that he didn't agree with!
Posted by: jimmy | April 20, 2006 08:48 AM
One of the amazing things about this dust-up is how quickly Barney Alan Sugg came to Huckabee's rescue and suggested that he could easily spare $500K from some slush fund to distribute to eight campuses outside the UA System. I often wonder just what "The System" does other than provide huge incomes for a bunch of folks who have no contact with faculty or students at any campus, and now I know.
Posted by: Catfish | April 20, 2006 08:59 AM
Catfish you need to look into the facts before you pop off. Sugg was asked to front the money to keep the program running from Nov.1 until Jan. when the Leg had an opportunity to determine the most appropriate way to provide reimbursement to Uof A and to continue the universally supported program through the remainder of the school year- June 1.
Don't blame Sugg for agreeing .when asked, to help save a very good program. Blame either the Leg or the Gov or both for creating this situation in the first place.
Posted by: bluegill | April 20, 2006 08:47 PM
"Catfish you need to look into the facts before you pop off."
That would take all the fun out of it, and I don't see why I should be held to a higher standard that Paul Greenberg.
Posted by: Catfish | April 21, 2006 08:34 AM