Increasing state aid

Issue: Because school districts have varying abilities to raise money through property taxes, there is a growing disparity among the districts in the amount of funding for each child.Action: The House Education Committee approved HB402, passing it out for additional discussion on the House floor.

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History: For some time, the state has provided a subsidy for those districts that are below the state average in their property tax base, the objective being to bring them at least to the average. HB402, sponsored by Rep. Kurt Oscarson, would escalate the effort, providing for increased state supplements of local voted leeways over the next four years. By 1997, the state would be supplementing the local levy up to a guarantee of $26 per weighted pupil unit - a healthy increase over the current $21.50 guarantee. The cost for the 1996 fiscal year would be $5 million and by 1997, the state would be contributing $7.5 million.

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