Luna Asks Law Makers To Boost Teachers Salaries

Public schools chief Tom Luna says money the governor hoped to funnel toward an education reserve fund should instead be used to offset a $19 million reduction in salaries in 2013.  The state is moving the money from salaries to help pay for classroom technology and teacher pay-for-performance as part of Luna's "Students Come First" education changes. The shifting of salary money was among the most debated pieces of Luna's changes, which go before voters in November. Luna told lawmakers yesterday he plans to offset the salary reduction during the fiscal year that starts July 1^st. While Governor "Butch" Otter wanted to shift $29 million into a rainy day account for public education, Luna says it's more important to use that funding to offset the loss to salaries.