Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam said Wednesday he will shrink the size of Tennessee's state government but work to put more money into local schools.
"My top priority will be K-12 education," Haslam said during a campaign swing through Chattanooga on the first day of early voting for the Nov. 2 election. "It's critical because this is where we are lagging behind other states."
Haslam said Tennessee ranks 42nd among the 50 states in education and every year more than 28,000 Tennessee students drop out of high school.
Haslam, the Knoxville mayor, said he wants to fully fund the updated Basic Education Program - BEP 2.0 - a $525 million program that would boost funds for Hamilton County schools by an extra $12.5 million.
But as federal stimulus dollars run out and unemployment remains high, Haslam conceded that he may not be able to fully fund the BEP enhancements begun by outgoing Gov. Phil Bredesen.
"We have to address a budget that is a billion dollars upside down," Haslam said. "We're going to have to make some really hard decisions and really shrink the size of state government. But I think we want to continue fully funding BEP and try to finish funding BEP 2.0, as funds become available."
Haslam's Democratic opponent, Jackson, Tenn., businessman Mike McWherter, said Wednesday he also wants to put more money in elementary and secondary education.
"I support fully funding the Basic Education Program at current levels and, as revenue allows, would seek to fund the 2.0 enhancements," McWherter said.
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