Governor candidates debate education, transit - Typepad

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/sep/21/governor-candidates-debate-education-transit/

By?ANDREW DENNEY

Published?September 21, 2012?at 12:59 p.m.
Updated?September 21, 2012?at 2 p.m.

At a debate this morning hosted by the Missouri Press Association in Columbia, three Missouri gubernatorial candidates squared off on their proposals for funding K-12 and higher education and on how they would work to improve the state's transportation infrastructure.

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon is running for re-election against Republican candidate Dave Spence and Libertarian candidate Jim Higgins. When the candidates were asked whether they would support an overhaul of the state's foundation formula, which is used to determine funding for the state's 524 K-12 school districts, Nixon said there was "record spending" on K-12 education this year and that he would be willing to consider small fixes to the formula if the idea were supported by members of the Missouri General Assembly.

"It's very easy to talk about how things could be different," Nixon said.

In response to an earlier question in the debate about how the candidates would close the achievement gap among students, Higgins called for more support for charter schools and expanding school vouchers, the latter of which Nixon called "radical."

Spence said that, if elected, he would consider changes to the formula, which he said has been underfunded in the past because of a shrinking tax base to fund school systems. He said that could be improved by expanding the number of jobs offered in Missouri. "Right now we're trying to squeeze blood from a turnip in our state," Spence said.

In response to a question about funding higher education, Nixon said that, although he does not think a tax increase would be the proper method of providing more funding for higher education, the matter should be left up to voters.

Nixon proposed a budget before the latest legislative session that cut $100 million from higher education, but he partially plugged that hole with $40 million the state received from a settlement, which translated to $4 million in cuts for the University of Missouri's campus in Columbia.

Spence said that, if elected, he would reinstate funding cut from higher education under Nixon's watch but would seek to do so without a tax increase.

When asked whether high-speed railroads should be expanded in the state, Nixon said Missouri has "worked hard" to maintain its railroad infrastructure and has reached out to Illinois to find ways to strengthen high-speed rail access between Chicago and St. Louis. He said that would be a crucial step in bringing more rail traffic to Missouri.

"All of that is part of a long-term transportation focus that will continue to provide us a competitive economy," Nixon said.

Spence expressed doubt that expanding high-speed rail in Missouri would be a good fit for the state, saying it would be unlikely that taxpayers would be willing to foot the bill for funding. He said he would like to see whether demand in the state justifies the need for supplying more railroads.

"Boy, doesn't it sound great? Sure does," Spence said. "But who's going to pay for it?"

Higgins echoed Spence's argument that, if high-speed rail were to be expanded in the state, the effort to do so would need to be generated by an increase in demand from Missouri residents.

"People have to use it and get out of their cars first," Higgins said.

Reach Andrew Denney at 573-815-1719 or e-mail?akdenney@columbiatribune.com.

This article was published on page A1 of the Friday, September 21, 2012 edition of The Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "Schools, rail take focus in 3-way debate: Gubernatorial hopefuls spar."?Click here to Subscribe.

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Source: http://mptaonline.typepad.com/missouri_public_transit_a/2012/09/governor-candidates-debate-education-transit.html

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