A look at some of the details of Gov. Mitch Daniels’ budget proposal:
Total general fund spending would be $27.5 billion over the two year budget cycle that includes fiscal year 2010 and 2011. That’s 2.5 percent below the current budget. When federal stimulus funds are factored in, the budget would spend $28.5 billion.
Daniels is willing to spend some of Indiana’s $1.3 billion in reserves as long as $1 billion is left in the bank.
_ The budget relies heavily on federal stimulus funding to give an average 2 percent annual increase to public schools.
_ The budget does not include limits on charter schools.
_ Daniels wants to spend stimulus money on other education programs: $10 million for at least 300 new math and science teachers through the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship Program, and $5 million in matching funds for startup costs for 25 to 30 New Tech High Schools.
_ Federal stimulus money would provide $137 million for 10 university construction projects: $44 million for life science labs at Purdue University, Indiana University-Bloomington, Indiana University’s Indianapolis campus and Indiana State University; $50 million for new Ivy Tech Community College buildings in Warsaw, Bloomington and Anderson; $4 million for Ivy Tech’s Elkhart campus; $6 million for IU School of Medicine renovations at its Purdue campus; and $33 million for campus renovations at Ball State University. Those funds must be obligated within 120 days.
_ Federal stimulus money would also help pay for other economic development projects. Daniels wants to spend $14 million for flood control levies on the Little Calumet River and $10 million for the Midwest Institute for Nanoelectronics Discovery, which is a partnership between industry, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame.
_ Daniels agreed not to fund two prison expansions that majority House Democrats criticized.
_ A full copy of Daniels’ budget proposal can be found online: http://tinyurl.com/pmzy73
Source: Daniels administration officials.
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