Education Law Center :: State Budget 101 Worksheet

Name of school: *

Grade and class taught: *

For instance, 11th grade social studies

1. Did you decide to cut state education spending, raise state taxes or a little of both? Choose one. Cut spendingRaise TaxesBoth

If you decided to cut spending, indicate by how much

If you decided to raise taxes, indicate by how much.

If you decided to do some of both, indicate by how much

Did you close the $1 billion deficit?

2. If you decided to cut state education spending, what happens to local school districts? Local school budgets are cut throughout the stateLocal property taxes are raised throughout the stateBoth

If you decide to cut local school budgets throughout the state, indicate by how much.

If you decided to raise local property taxes throughout the state, indicate by how much?

If you decided to do some of both, indicate by how much?

Did you make up for the amount you cut in #1?

3. If you decided to raise state taxes, which taxes did you raise? Personal Income TaxBusiness Income TaxSales TaxUser Fees"Sin" Taxes

How much did you raise Personal Income Tax?

How much did you raise Business Income Tax?

Give dollar amount

How much did you raise Sales Tax?

Give dollar amount

How much did you raise User Fees?

How much did you raise "Sin" Taxes?

4. How did you decide to use the education stimulus funding? Make up for cuts in state spendingIncrease funding to school districts to improve programs and avoid raising local property taxesBoth

How much stimulus money did you use to make up for cuts in state spending?

How much stimulus funding did you use to increase funding to school districts to improve programs and avoid raising local property taxes?

How much of the stimulus money did you use to both make up for cuts and increase funding?

Did you use the full amount of the stimulus money — $500 million?

5. If you use stimulus funds — which disappear by 2011 — to make up for cuts in state spending, decide which state taxes will be raised in future years. Personal Income TaxBusiness Income TaxSales TaxUser Fees "Sin" Taxes

How much Personal Income Tax will be raised?

Give dollar amount

How much Business Income Tax will be raised?

How much Sales Tax will be raised?

How much will User Fees be raised?

Give dollar amount

How much will Sin Taxes be raised?

Give dollar amount

Summarize the outcomes for your groups:

Additional comments: