Dems vow to battle education cutbacks

By Patricia L. Pastore/Tribune-Star
Story created Feb 14, 2005

Democratic lawmakers pledged to fight cuts in education and Medicaid funding when they met with a standing-room-only crowd at the crackerbarrel session on Saturday.

Some schools were "cut by 2 to 3 percent and universities are flat lined," state Rep. Clyde Kersey (D) of Terre Haute said of the proposed state budget.

He said when that happens, more and more students will be forced out of education.

Medicaid is another issue he addressed. He said Medicaid is growing at 10 percent a year.

"The governor is talking about cutting it by 5 percent," he said. "It will hurt a lot of people. We can balance the budget without cutting education and Medicaid. The Democratic view is we can grow ourselves out of this deficit. We need to find enough money for education and Medicaid and watch the trend for a year."

He said if there is a problem, then the changes can be made next year.

Kersey's view is backed by Reps. F. Dale Grubb, D-Covington and Vern Tincher, D-Terre Haute.

Reps. Andy Thomas, R-Brazil, and Bruce Borders R-Jasonville, didn't comment on those issues. . .

. . .One bill that hasn't seen daylight yet is targeted at transporting the deadly nerve agent VX and its byproducts, said Grubb.

He authored a bill to assess a transportation fee of $200 for every tankload that leaves the Newport Chemical Depot, he said.

He said the assessment would help to pay for the road repair costs from transporting the tonnage of VX or its byproduct.

He asked Tincher and Kersey to help get the VX bill out of committee and on to the full House for a vote. . .

Patricia Pastore can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or pat.pastore@tribstar.com