SALT LAKE CITY — Giving teachers a raise is at the top of the Utah State Senate Republican majority's list of priorities in the upcoming legislative session.
The Senate Majority Caucus released its list of priorities on Wednesday, ranking teacher salary increases as number one, followed by water needs and tax cuts. In an interview with FOX 13 News, Assistant Majority Whip Kirk Cullimore said they would also look to increase education spending. The raises would be in addition to the weighted pupil unit, a formula that is often used to determine teacher salaries.
"We’ve got a statutory formula to increase overall education funding. We’re going to stick to that formula, if not more," he said. "So we’re going to see significant increases in that. This would be an additional investment into teacher salaries on top of the education budget."
The Utah Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, said it applauded the move.
"The UEA’s vision is a safe equitable school for every child. This starts with a highly qualified educator paid a professional salary. In addition, we must solve the larger school staff and labor shortage. Ideally, investments in our school educators and staff will be made in a way that allows local school boards to direct the funding where it is most needed and appropriate for each school district, through the local negotiations process with recognized school employee groups," UEA President Renée Pinkney said in a statement.
"We look forward to working with our elected representatives this session and encourage legislators to avoid distractions that will only divert our attention from the substantive issues facing our schools, our students and our dedicated school workforce."
With the Great Salt Lake shrinking and Utah's ongoing mega-drought, the Majority Caucus also said it would pursue policies related to conservation and securing water. Sen. Cullimore, R-Sandy, did not rule out pipelines as a means of getting that water.
Faced with $3 billion in extra money to spend, he said there was a desire to enact an income tax cut. It is expected to be modest, but lawmakers were also eyeing property tax revisions.
