Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek released the following statement regarding the budget proposal passed by the Florida Legislature last Friday, calling on Governor Charlie Crist to veto the proposal:
“Over the past several months, Governor Crist has been so busy promoting his political ambition, he failed to do his job leading our state. Once again, the Republican legislature has passed a budget that short-changes Florida’s students, teachers and families. During his term, the governor has cut funding for Florida’s public schools, slowed efforts to reduce overcrowding by working to gut the class-size amendment, and signed budgets that laid off teachers and hurt Florida’s students. If Governor Crist signs the budget passed last week into law, his legacy will be that of a politician who slashed education and cut the educational opportunities for Florida’s students. While the governor will never repair the damage he has done to Florida’s schools, he needs to finally do what is right by standing up for Florida’s children and teachers by vetoing this budget,” said Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Kendrick Meek.
On The Miami Herald editorial page today, the paper’s editorial board wrote, “The Legislature wrapped up its 60-day session pretending that all is well with public-schools funding. It’s not… Cutting expenses will continue, but more lay-offs of teachers will affect quality in the classroom. Remember, Florida’s voters have approved constitutional amendments calling for a quality public education system that’s a ‘paramount’ state responsibility. Legislators flunked that test. They continue to play games with Florida children’s education funding.”
