Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor
Senate President Pro Tempore
"The numbers are encouraging. We have a lot of commitments to meet, but I think there's still room to address some pressing needs, namely teacher pay. I know a lot of other interests will be competing for the new revenue, but I think teachers deserve to be at the top of the priority list. My goal is to make sure our teachers receive a significant pay hike this year."
"If we don't make a solid commitment on this issue, we'll continue to see our best teachers leave the state for better-paying jobs elsewhere. That hurts our public schools and ultimately, our economic development efforts."