House Speaker Thom Tillis is at again, telling an audience at a town hall meeting in Matthews Monday that the Republican budget cut too much, as if he is powerless to do anything about it.
Tillis also said lawmakers “disproportionately” cut money for early-childhood programs. In the name of efficiency, lawmakers combined a pre-kindergarten program known as More at Four with Smart Start. Both are aimed at helping poor and at-risk students. They cut $16 million from the pre-kindergarten budget and $37.5 million from Smart Start.
Tillis said the money for students in third grade and younger is inadequate.
If Tillis really believes that, why doesn’t he fix it? The House and Senate have held several special sessions since the budget was passed and have ignored a court order to make NC Pre-K available to all at-risk four-year-olds.
They have also refused to consider a proposal by Governor to shift money to restore the cuts made this session and allow 6.300 at-risk kids to enroll in the pre-k program.
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