Remember about a year ago when Utah was all atwitter over a voucher proposal that was on a ballot? Remember all the talk about saving money in education?
Utah Education Issues explains odd features in an omnibus funding bill recently passed by the Utah Legislature (The Economist praised Utah’s efficiency*). Among other things, it gives away $1 million to an educational software company that will provide families with reading software — at a fantastic pricetag of $3,400 per installation (computer included, but still . . .).
Describing the smell of this bill doesn’t come close to the total repugnance — go read the report. Fewer than 300 families can be served at that price, statewide. One might suspect the true beneficiaries of this bill are not Utah voters, not Utah educators, nor even the Utah families who get the freebies. Did I mention this involves a major publisher of public school textbooks?
It’s a commendable job of reporting for a blog, no?
Footnote:
* The “cultural thing”, as businessmen from out of state delicately refer to Mormonism, helps in other ways. Utah’s almost universal conservatism makes for stable, consensual politics. It took the state legislature just two days last month to plug a $272m hole in the budget. By contrast, California’s budget was 85 days late. Nevada’s politicians are preparing for a nasty fiscal fight next year.
Posted by Ed Darrell 
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 