Alabama's public colleges did the state's citizens - especially its public school students -- a grave disservice Monday by essentially killing the proposed higher education budget on the final day of the legislative session. That will force the Legislature to return in a costly special session to develop a new education budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
resolve a tug of war between public schools and public colleges and universities over sharing the education funding pie.
eachers; it loses too many to other states already.

If you didn't think this year's legislative session was a complete failure, then just look at Monday's disaster. The Senate let the session expire without passing an education budget.
That one move is being felt by public school systems across the state. Some school districts are having to cut all non-tenured school employees. Fortunately, the Chilton County School System isn't one of those districts, but it is putting them in a bind to try find a way to plan for next year.
That is not going to help our financial condition, which isn't in the best shape right now. Our economy is slowing because of the high cost of everything, including gas prices. That means our tax revenues will be decreasing, leaving less money in the bank to spend.

By Dana Beyerle MONTGOMERY - Gov. Bob Riley will call the Legislature into special session, probably before the end of this month, to pass an education budget, his office said Tuesday.
Riley wants lawmakers to act quickly on the budget so administrators in K-12 schools can plan next years operations.
f has to have a budget by then so they can tell students and parents the cost of educating them.

MONTGOMERY - The finger-pointing began even before the 2008 regular legislative session ended at midnight Monday without passage of an education budget or many other bills previously heralded as priorities.
Legislators said they were frustrated that they had so little to show for 30 meeting days spread over three-plus months in Montgomery. The Senate failed to vote on a state education budget after a standoff between four-year universities, which sought an additional $25 million, and the Alabama Education Association, which opposed the increase.
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The Legislature's 2008 session sputtered to a close Monday night, leaving dozens of popular bills littering the floor.
As the clock struck midnight Monday, fingers began pointing on Goat Hill. Democrats blamed Republicans and vice versa, higher ed supporters blamed K-12 lobbyists. Exactly who is reponsible for the state Senate's failure to pass an education budget on the last day of the legislative session is subject to one's point of view. One thing is clear, though: Ordinary citizens who would have benefitted from the dozens of dead bills have little power in the state capital.
eater budget cut than did K-12 public schools, and colleges wanted legislators to add $25 million more to their budget. A vote to cut off debate in the Senate failed one shy of the 18 needed.

By DAVID GOODWIN - News Editor Despite hours of closed-doors negotiations Monday night, state senators were unable to muster enough votes to pass next

By Chris Norwood The Alabama Senate’s failure to sign off on a budget for the Education Trust Fund before the last day of the regular legislative session

Montgomery, Al. (WSFA) - A war of words is heating up just hours after Alabama's regular legislative session came to a disappointing end.
Now, Democratic leaders are saying Governor Bob Riley led a Republican effort to kill the session in or a bid to push his 2010 campaign plan, a claim the Governor's communications director, Jeff Emerson, is calling "garbage".
g the sales tax on food, and to blame the Alabama Education Association and Democrats for the failed session.