INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lawmakers have approved a new state budget increasing base school funding by 2.5% percent each of the next two years as they brought this year's legislative session to a close.
The House and Senate votes Wednesday night came after Republicans touted the spending plan as making strides toward improving the state's lagging teacher pay. Republicans say it is a responsible plan that protects the state in case of an economic downturn by maintaining its $2 billion in cash reserves.
But Democrats faulted it for actually doing little to boost teacher salaries or fund other needed programs such as subsidies to adoptive parents and youth suicide prevention programs.
Democratic Sen. Karen Tallian of Portage calls the Republican budget plan "too meager, too tight fisted."
