News-Star: Jindal plan is "passing the buck"

The Monroe News-Star has weighed in on the dispute over reserve funds held by local school boards.

Just a few weeks ago, school boards belatedly responded to the Jindal administration's allegation that the billion-plus dollars in school board kitties could go a long way toward solving public education's funding problems. That was when the governor suggested that locals pay for items, including teacher stipends and private school busing, that have traditionally been the state's responsibility.

The News-Star has it right when it says, "As a short-term fix it only shifts an imminent burden from one level of government to the next. That's passing the buck, not a well-conceived solution."

Problem is, the administration steadfastly refuses to consider revenue solutions for the state's overwhelming budget problems. As long as that's the order of the day, buck passing is the only arrow in the governor's quiver.