Station:      Summit News, Krystal 93 (Summit County, CO)

Show:        Candidate Forum

Guests:      Curry

Link: http://www.summitnews.com/video_hd.html?videoDate=September%202012&videoFileName=misc/09_17_12KYSLForum&videoTitle=House%20District%2061

Date:         September, 2012

Topics:      Education, Funding, Budget

 

Question:  Parents of school-aged children are always concerned for their kids’ education, especially given the fact that cuts are made in that area to help in lean budget times.  How do you envision supporting education and maintaining a budget while alleviating a parent’s concern for quality education?

 

Kathleen Curry:  So, given that this is a race for a seat in the Colorado General Assembly, I want to give a little bit of background.  About 50% of the general fund in the state of Colorado is already allocated for K-12 education.  And just because that 50% is there doesn’t mean that we are always providing quality education, so those concerns still are out there. But I would just note that for whoever is representing this district, their hands are tied to some degree, because of a bigger picture issue and that would be several – three, exactly, conflicting elements of our state constitution.  I think the Colorado General Assembly needs to tackle that issue if we’re going to be able to come down from that 30,000 foot level down to this level to maintain a budget.  So, when the revenues to the state go down, the state funding for K-12 education goes down, and as Representative Hamner pointed out, we have our – we have a certain amount of flexibility and then there’s a lot that actually, there is no discretion that the General Assembly can deal with.  So, maintaining local control at the level that it’s at, I think, is an important aspect.  And then, having 50% of the general fund already allocated, I’m not sure money is always the solution to the education problem.  I would envision supporting the funding if there is an accountability piece part of that.  Thank you.