Children are our future II

It seems like underfunding school programs is fast becoming a sturdy plank in the Republican party platform:

When Gov. Jeb Bush and state Republican leaders put a $650 million annual price tag on a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a state pre-kindergarten program, the figure was based on per-child spending of $4,320.

Two years later, with the amendment on the books, Republican leaders are pushing a considerably cheaper version: $2,000 to $3,000 per child, for a total in the $300 million range.

Why the gap between what Floridians were told before the 2002 vote and after?

"That's a good question," said Rep. Ralph Arza, R-Miami, the House chairman of a special joint committee that took public testimony on the issue Thursday.