Last week, I voted against the 2004 fiscal year budget because it failed to fund public education at even the reduced level of this year's budget. After it sank in that we actually reduced per-student funding, a last-minute effort using one-time federal money passed to increase the amount to $1,777 -- a whopping $2 per child more than that for this year. Even without taking inflation into account, this is the 1997 level of funding!

Although education faired better than many other areas of state services, such as mental health and corrections, it has not been "held harmless," as many are claiming. In truth, we are backing up in our commitment to improve our public schools at the very time that gains have begun to be realized from the implementation of 5-year-old kindergarten, the S.C. Education Accountability Act and reasonable increases in education funding provided from the mid-1990s up until two years ago.

Just as with marriage and church pledges, commitment in public policy demands far more than just a promise on the front end: It requires that the maker come through with what is reasonably expected and needed, regardless of how hard that may be, even during tough times. For our future to be brighter, our public schools must improve, and to the extent reasonably possible every child, regardless of where he or she lives, family income, or race, must be provided the opportunity for a quality education.

Here are the facts: Per-student funding in South Carolina was $1,750 for 1997, $1,839 for 1998, $1,879 for 1999, $1,937 for 2000, $2,002 for 2000, $2,073 originally for 2001, then cut to $1,881 due to revenue shortfalls, and $2,033 for 2003, but then cut twice to $1,775 for fiscal year 2003. Now we have budgeted to spend $1,777 for 2004. Those who should know estimate that at the minimum, per-pupil state funding should be $2,200.

Many just blame the recession, but honesty demands we look closer. Our systems of budgeting, projecting revenues and taxing are broken, and until we come together and make systemic changes in how we govern and provide services, commitments to supposed priorities such as public education and health care will remain unmet, with little chance for improvement.

In government, as with business and personal conduct, it should not surprise us that the results don't seem to improve -- and oftentimes worsen -- when we continue to do things the same old way. Just saying we are committed is easy, and while I realize that the shortfalls in state revenues versus projections these past two years are unprecedented in the last half-century, it is extraordinary times and challenges like this that demand that we exhibit unusual leadership and demonstrate commitment to education if we are to truthfully expect to make improvements.

I had hoped that we could use this dire situation as an opportunity to come together, overcome partisan differences and meet the challenge to provide reasonable funding for education, either through a temporary solution or with a long-term revamping of our entire budgeting, revenue projection and taxation system.

Some may revel in a reduced budget with no tax increases. But I believe the majority of our constituents wish we had done better, by making further cuts, eliminating some tax exemptions and approving a combination of a sales tax increase coupled with a corresponding decrease in another tax, such as that proposed by Gov. Mark Sanford or recently suggested by Rep. Rick Quinn.

The result of our actions will be a step backward for our schools, another year of unreasonable property tax increases and much finger-pointing. School is out now, and the House, Senate, both political parties and the governor should get a failing grade for not meeting our commitment to pubic education. I only wish we could be forced to repeat this session, like students who don't pass.