Senate_NN1 approves_VVZ GCEI_NP1 cuts_VVZ The_AT state_NN1 Senate_NN1 today_RT approved_VVD cutting_VVG the_AT geographic_JJ cost_NN1 of_IO education_NN1 index_NN1 --_NN1 or_CC GCEI_NP1 ,_, the_AT component_NN1 of_IO Thornton_NP1 that_CST gives_VVZ more_DAR money_NN1 to_II school_NN1 districts_NN2 where_RRQ the_AT cost_NN1 of_IO educating_VVG students_NN2 is_VBZ higher_JJR ._. 
The_AT governor_NN1 's_GE proposed_JJ budget_NN1 for_IF the_AT upcoming_JJ fiscal_JJ year_NNT1 ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 the_AT version_NN1 of_IO the_AT budget_NN1 passed_VVN by_II the_AT House_NN1 of_IO Delegates_NN2 ,_, funds_NN2 GCEI_NN2 at_II 100_MC percent_NNU ._. 
The_AT Senate_NN1 's_GE version_NN1 funds_NN2 it_PPH1 at_II only_RR 60_MC percent_NNU ,_, with_IW the_AT remaining_JJ 40_MC percent_NNU going_VVGK to_TO plug_VVI a_AT1 hole_NN1 in_II school_NN1 construction_NN1 funding_NN1 ._. 
For_IF Baltimore_NP1 ,_, it_PPH1 would_VM mean_VVI an_AT1 $8.7_NNU million_NNO loss_NN1 ._. 
Montgomery_NP1 ,_, Prince_NNB George_NP1 's_GE ,_, Anne_NP1 Arundel_NP1 and_CC Baltimore_NP1 counties_NN2 would_VM also_RR take_VVI significant_JJ hits_NN2 ._. 
The_AT Senate_NN1 is_VBZ now_RT debating_VVG further_RRR cuts_VVZ to_II education_NN1 for_IF fiscal_JJ years_NNT2 2011_MC and_CC 2012_MC by_II continuing_VVG the_AT cap_NN1 on_II inflation_NN1 that_CST was_VBDZ supposed_JJ to_TO lift_VVI next_MD year_NNT1 and_CC reducing_VVG something_PN1 known_VVN as_II the_AT "_" supplemental_JJ grant_NN1 ._. "_" 
These_DD2 cuts_NN2 would_VM leave_VVI the_AT city_NN1 schools_NN2 with_IW annual_JJ shortfalls_NN2 of_IO at_RR21 least_RR22 $50_NNU million_NNO for_IF each_DD1 of_IO those_DD2 years_NNT2 ._. 
Since_CS the_AT central_JJ office_NN1 has_VHZ already_RR been_VBN slashed_VVN for_IF this_DD1 academic_JJ year_NNT1 and_CC next_MD ,_, schools_NN2 would_VM see_VVI the_AT impact_NN1 directly_RR ._. 
Why_RRQ is_VBZ it_PPH1 necessary_JJ to_TO cut_VVI for_IF future_JJ years_NNT2 now_RT ?_? 
Could_VM it_PPH1 be_VBI that_CST legislators_NN2 want_VV0 to_TO avoid_VVI cutting_VVG schools_NN2 next_MD year_NNT1 ,_, in_II an_AT1 election_NN1 year_NNT1 ,_, so_CS they_PPHS2 're_VBR doing_VDG it_PPH1 now_RT as_II a_AT1 pre-emptive_JJ move_NN1 ?_? 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ worth_II noting_VVG again_RT that_CST these_DD2 changes_NN2 ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 the_AT GCEI_NP1 funding_NN1 reduction_NN1 ,_, were_VBDR introduced_VVN late_RR Friday_NPD1 night_NNT1 by_II the_AT Senate_NN1 's_GE budget_NN1 and_CC tax_NN1 committee_NN1 when_CS no_PN121 one_PN122 was_VBDZ watching_VVG ._. 
The_AT two_MC senators_NN2 from_II Baltimore_NP1 on_II the_AT budget_NN1 and_CC tax_NN1 committee_NN1 ,_, Nathaniel_NP1 McFadden_NP1 (_( chair_NN1 of_IO the_AT city_NN1 delegation_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 school_NN1 system_NN1 employee_NN1 )_) and_CC Verna_NP1 Jones_NP1 ,_, voted_VVN for_IF the_AT proposal_NN1 ._. 
The_AT reason_NN1 no_PN121 one_PN122 was_VBDZ watching_VVG was_VBDZ because_CS it_PPH1 was_VBDZ assumed_VVN that_CST the_AT committee_NN1 would_VM adopt_VVI its_APPGE subcommittee_NN1 's_GE recommendations_NN2 on_II education_NN1 ,_, but_CCB it_PPH1 did_VDD not_XX ._. 
Once_CS the_AT Senate_NN1 's_GE vote_NN1 is_VBZ complete_JJ ,_, the_AT budget_NN1 will_VM go_VVI to_II a_AT1 conference_NN1 committee_NN1 with_IW the_AT House_NN1 ._. 
I_PPIS1 just_RR spoke_VVD with_IW Dr._NNB Alonso_NP1 about_II the_AT Senate_NN1 's_GE GCEI_NN2 cut_VV0 ._. 
"_" These_DD2 are_VBR dollars_NNU2 that_CST were_VBDR intended_VVN to_TO be_VBI used_VVN in_II recognition_NN1 of_IO the_AT difficulty_NN1 of_IO certain_JJ districts_NN2 in_II serving_VVG the_AT children_NN2 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 's_VBZ part_NN1 of_IO Thornton_NP1 ,_, and_CC it_PPH1 's_VBZ wrong_JJ to_TO take_VVI away_II21 from_II22 certain_JJ districts_NN2 ..._... 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ wrong_JJ to_TO take_VVI away_II21 from_II22 needy_JJ children_NN2 ._. "_" 
Alonso_NP1 said_VVD an_AT1 $8.7_NNU million_NNO loss_NN1 would_VM limit_VVI his_APPGE plans_NN2 to_TO expand_VVI vocational_JJ education_NN1 and_CC reduce_VVI the_AT scope_NN1 of_IO planned_JJ expansion_NN1 of_IO pre-kindergarten_NN1 ._. 
"_" In_II a_AT1 district_NN1 where_RRQ so_RG many_DA2 things_NN2 need_VV0 to_TO be_VBI done_VDN ,_, that_DD1 is_VBZ a_AT1 tragedy_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 missed_JJ opportunity_NN1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
While_CS legislators_NN2 are_VBR saying_VVG that_CST schools_NN2 will_VM make_VVI up_RP the_AT funding_NN1 loss_NN1 with_IW stimulus_NN1 money_NN1 ,_, the_AT stimulus_NN1 dollars_NNU2 come_VV0 with_IW strings_NN2 attached_VVN ._. 
Alonso_NP1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 talked_VVD with_IW U.S._NP1 education_NN1 secretary_NN1 Arne_NP1 Duncan_NP1 and_CC "_" the_AT stimulus_NN1 dollars_NNU2 are_VBR meant_VVN to_TO be_VBI used_VVN to_TO change_VVI the_AT character_NN1 of_IO education_NN1 in_II this_DD1 country_NN1 ._. 
They_PPHS2 're_VBR not_XX meant_VVN to_TO absolve_VVI local_JJ governments_NN2 of_IO their_APPGE responsibility_NN1 to_TO adequately_RR fund_VVI education_NN1 ._. "_" 
In_RR21 addition_RR22 ,_, the_AT biggest_JJT cut_NN1 under_II the_AT Senate_NN1 proposal_NN1 would_VM come_VVI in_II fiscal_JJ year_NNT1 2012_MC ,_, the_AT year_NNT1 the_AT stimulus_NN1 money_NN1 runs_VVZ out_RP ._. 
