Alabama OKs Bond Sale to Dull Pain Of Education Cuts

By Erik W. Robelen

Alabama's governor sought last week to soften the blow of midyear education spending cuts by signing a bill that lets the state borrow up to $110 million.

Gov. Donald Siegelman praised the legislature for taking action on the plan, which he said would help schools and universities "at a time when they critically need it."

That need arose after the Democratic governor announced in February that, because of a shortfall in tax revenues, the state's $4.3 billion education budget for the current fiscal year would have to be reduced...