Education and Health Top Issues for ’99, Say Legislators in Survey

CPA’s survey of state legislators and other elected officials attending the Summit on the States listed education, health care, tax policies, utility deregulation and jobs training the top issues for 1999 legislative action. Summit participants were asked to identify top issues, priorities for use of surplus state budget funds and assess the effects of devolution.

What should states do with surplus budget funds?
Targeted programs: 71 percent Capital projects: 34 percent Rainy day funds: 22 percent Reduce taxes: 19 percent

Education — from early childhood through higher education, and encompassing education quality, funding, school construction and renovation and increased teacher pay and retirement benefits — was reported as a top 1999 state legislative issue by 88 percent of the elected officials responding to the survey. Education also led the list of programs to receive increased funding using any available state budget surpluses.

Forty-one percent of respondents ranked health care among the top issues and 29 percent cited tax policies and use of surplus budget funds.

What’s the top issue for 1999 state legislative action?
Education: 88 percent Health care: 41 percent Tax policies and budget surplus: 29 percent

Devolution of responsibilities to the states drew slightly more favorable but mixed reviews. Forty percent said it was a good idea, 33 percent said it wasn’t, 13 percent replied that it could be either, depending on whether federal money came with the responsibility and 14 percent didn’t know or had no opinion.

Other issues identified by polled legislators as high importance for action by state governments are: making sure people who work are able to support their families; providing help to families struggling to get by; ensuring fair treatment of women and minorities; protecting the environment; repairing roads and bridges; and reducing drug use and crime.