Riley declares 7.5 percent proration for coming year’s education budget

Two days before the new fiscal year, Gov. Bob Riley on Tuesday declared a 7.5 percent cut to the pending education budget.

Riley announced that across-the-board cuts, also known as proration, will reduce to $5.3 billion from $5.7 billion the state funding budgeted for public schools in fiscal 2009-10.

“With less revenue coming in and the escalating costs of employee health insurance, there’s no way to avoid it,” Riley said in a statement

In Baldwin County, which is in the midst of dealing with a series of deep budget and staffing cuts, the governor’s announcement “only makes the situation worse,” said school system spokesman Terry Wilhite.

The proration means about $7.5 million less for Baldwin schools.

Riley declares 7.5 percent proration for coming year’s education budget