Capitol Insider: Education budget goes upstairs

Staff reports

Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre, shepherded through a state education budget that, despite criticism from Gov. Bob Riley, proved very popular in the Alabama House. The $6 billion Special Education Trust Fund passed out of the House Thursday on a 99-3 vote.

Riley is calling it the "No Special Interest Left Behind Act," but Republican lawmakers couldn't ignore large spending increases in the budget, including money for hundreds more teachers and $78 million for reading, math and science programs, which Riley supports.

The budget contains a $141 million, 5 percent pay raise for education employees and a 7 percent cost of living increase for retirees, giving both groups an 11 percent increase in two years.

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