Sen. Olson: Outlay Funds Are Important Option For Schools
Air Date:01/31/2011
By Kealey Bultena
South Dakota’s Senate approves of a bill to extend the number of years school districts can use capital outlay funds for general expenses.
A current law allows schools to use capital outlay money for some transportation costs through 2012. Senate Bill 111 allows that spending for two more years, and State Senator Russell Olson says it’s an important option for large and small districts.
"As we take a look at the tough decisions that lie ahead of South Dakota and this legislature as far as education funding and the budget as a whole, one of the safety nets I think that we can throw out to our school districts that are looking at a proposed 10% cut right now is the provisions within this," Olson says. "By extended it by two years, we’re simply allowing school districts to take advantage of this at the local level of this program."
Senator Larry Rhoden opposes the measure. He says allowing districts to tap into that account makes education unequal across the state.
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