The New Hampshire Senate Thursday rejected an education funding plan backed by Governor Lynch.
In a 13 to 11 vote, they passed a different plan that was put forward by Senator Ted Gatsas of Manchester.
New Hampshire Public Radio's David Darman has more.
Earlier this week, Governor John Lynch stood with a group 8 Democrats and 5 Republicans to announce they had forged a majority to back an education funding plan.
The bill they backed would have eliminated the statewide property tax and so called donor towns, while also targeting aid to needy communities.
Governor Lynch praised the lawmakers for coming together behind what he called a sensible measure.
they have put politics and partisanship aside. they care about what i care about, putting in place a school funding law that truly meets our responsibility to our children and providing a sustainable and permanent solution to school funding.
The majority put together by the governor began to unravel when the full senate met on Thursday.
That's when Senator Ted Gatsas offered his colleagues a competing plan.
It also eliminated so called "donor towns" and targeted aid to needy communities.
But it didn't get rid of the statewide property tax.
And the plan hadn't been through the usual legislative channels before it came to the floor.
But Senator Gatsas told his colleagues they needn't be troubled by this irregularity.
He said the measure was the same one that they thoroughly vetted last year.
i'll remind you all that this bill of 14 months ago left here. it left here with i believe 15 or 16 votes. it didn't make it in committee of conference.
Two of the Republicans who had stood with Governor Lynch switched their allegiances once the Gatsas plan was in play.
Senators Dick Green of Rochester and Joe Kenney of Union said they felt compelled to make the change.
Green told other senators he had informed the Governor he might switch if the Gatsas plan had a chance.
it is the best plan. i'm sorry, it is the best plan. the formula is the best plan. the approach is the best plan. and yes, for me, it helps my district, yeh. but i didn't deal with the numbers on the district issue until i knew and (was) satisfied with the formula. (be)cause I've got to be satisfied that every child in this state is being treated fairly.
Several Senators said they felt undermined by the Gatsas measure.
They objected to it being presented so late in the Legislative session.
Democratic Senator Lou D'Allesandro of Manchester had been a co-sponsor of the measure backed by the Governor.
He argued that his bill was the right choice because it had been through the proper process of public hearings and input.
we worked it through the house. the house, a body of 400 came back with the solution that was almost exactly the same as our amendment. we made a couple of little changes that made it better. we made it better because we took special education and we put it in. we took the transition aid and spread it out so people didn't get hurt because we cared about the other communities...
In a statement issued after the vote, Governor Lynch gave a mixed revue to the senate's bill.
On the plus side, he praised senators for eliminating so called 'donor towns' and keeping targeted aid for needy communities.
But he also criticized the senate, for passing a measure that would maintain the statewide property tax.
The Senate's education funding plan now heads to the House.
If lawmakers there don't agree to the plan, the leaders of the Senate and House will have to appoint a committee of conference to iron out the differences.
