The $611 Million Plane hitting the Mountain

My blog title is a catchphrase from the movie "The Big Lebowski". The Big Lebowski is a cult film from the 90's. If you have seen it you know its popularity. If you haven't seen it by now, I don't recommend you see it, like most cult films you won't like them way after the fact.  The Big Lebowski is about a lovable loser hippy set during the Early 90's. The main character, Jeffrey Lebowski, gets caught up in a kidnapping scandal. During that movie Lebowski has a conversation where he explains that his attempt to locate a kidnapped girl is going fine. He explains it by saying the plane has not hit the mountain. His language was a little more explicit so I'm paraphrasing. I bring this up because it sounds like our current elected officials and the upcoming $611.3 Million budget shortfall. 

The governor and legislature are trying to convince us that the only reason this shortfall is here is the Oil and Gas industry. I don't believe it for one second. There is more wrong with this plane than that!! We are for sure headed for the mountain. At breakneck speed. 

To keep us from looking at that incoming mountain we are going to get some nice legislation coming out of committees and on the floor of the legislature. That conversation goes something like this:

Elected Officials: Today, the House A&B subcommittee voted to give teachers a raise!

Me: No seriously that mountain looks  like it's closer. 

Elected Officials: Wait, we are going to make changes to A-F.

Me: Shouldn't we be pulling up? 

Elected Officials: We are going to switch from useless EOI's to the ACT suite! 

Me: When does my oxygen mask fall? 

Elected Officials: WE ARE GOING TO GIVE EDUCATION $600 MILLION OFF THE TOP, sir, please don't look out the window, STUDENTS ARE MORE THAN POTHOLES!!

Me: Can I put my head between my legs yet?

Don't get me wrong, I want all the things that are coming out of these committees, minus the silly school choice nonsense. We need A-F changes, We need to end EOI's and test loving, We need the $600 Million off the top. I applaud all those individuals who write the legislation and all those who work tirelessly to get it passed, BUT it doesn't matter if we do not fix our funding issues long term. What good is all that legislation with no teachers, crumbling buildings, and no resources to implement. Until we address the fundamental problems we are going to hit that mountain! Until we get an equitable funding solution we are in trouble. We can't cut the income tax and give away 100's of millions of dollars to businesses. If our elected officials are not standing up screaming they are going to fix this problem, then you better stick your head between your legs and brace as well!!!