Senate approves budget with cigarette tax increases

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 | 9:40 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Senate passed a two-year, $24 billion state budget that Democrats said does not provide enough money for education.

The budget, which was approved 29-21 on Monday, would give schools a 1.2 percent increase in 2006 and a 1.3 percent increase in 2007. But changes to the school funding formula would mean cuts for 129 school districts, Democrats said.

"There's not enough money in the formula to make it work," said Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington.

Republican Sen. Luke Kenley of Noblesville, chairman of the Senate Tax Committee, defended the $24.4 billion budget and the new school funding formula.

"We tried to do the best we could for our students," Kenley said.

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