Lawmakers Seek School Aid

Sen. Cheryl Gray and House Speaker pro tempore Karen Peterson have proposed including at least $60 million a year in the state budget for the repair and replacement of public schools across Louisiana.

Louisiana does not provide state funding for local school infrastructure needs at its 1,400 public schools.

HB 962, sponsored by Peterson, and Gray’s SB 632 would establish the 12-member Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Authority. Both lawmakers are Democrats from New Orleans. Under the proposed legislation, beginning in 2009 up to $20 million of state corporate income tax collections, the first $20 million of state sales tax collections, and $20 million from riverboat gaming franchise fees would be deposited in the Louisiana Statewide Educational Facilities Fund each fiscal year.

Local districts would submit master plans for repairing their facilities that would be reviewed by the panel.

Gray told the Senate Education Committee last week that Louisiana is one of nine states that do not provide substantial state aid for public school building costs.

“Most of the schools in Louisiana were built before 1939,” she said.

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