Reducation education funding plan reduced

Reducation education funding plan reduced

The Associated Press

HELENA — Senate Republicans are trimming their education spending plan in hopes of getting full support from their caucus.

Some Republicans bucked the original plan that re-crafts key aspects of school funding while increasing funding about 3 percent over the two-year budget period.

Late Thursday, a committee reduced the funding a little and made clear that the 2013 Legislature will have to revisit a controversial plan to redistribute some of the oil and gas money from resource-rich eastern Montana counties.

Senate Democrats who favor the governor's original offering are opposing both deals.

The new plan goes to the full Senate likely on Friday.

House Republicans will be looking at their own plan Friday, which more favorably treats the rural oil-and-gas counties and more caters to conservatives worried about spending.

HELENA — Senate Republicans are trimming their education spending plan in hopes of getting full support from their caucus.

Some Republicans bucked the original plan that re-crafts key aspects of school funding while increasing funding about 3 percent over the two-year budget period.

Late Thursday, a committee reduced the funding a little and made clear that the 2013 Legislature will have to revisit a controversial plan to redistribute some of the oil and gas money from resource-rich eastern Montana counties.

Senate Democrats who favor the governor's original offering are opposing both deals.

The new plan goes to the full Senate likely on Friday.

House Republicans will be looking at their own plan Friday, which more favorably treats the rural oil-and-gas counties and more caters to conservatives worried about spending.