A bill that would raise the GET in order to funnel more money into public school facilities and teacher salaries got its first hearing this morning. But there are two more to go — and a triple referral to start generally isn’t a good sign. 

Our educationblog reports:

The House committee on Economic Development and Business today gave its okay to a bill that would raise the state general excise tax in order to pump revenue into public education. 

The measure is known as the Penny for Education Act, or HB1368. It asks that the state raise the GET by 1 percent and that 20 percent of all GET revenue go toward education, including teacher salaries and school facilities. 

Several teachers — most of them representing the grassroots Campbell High School-based group Teachers Work to the Rules, which helped draft the bill — gave emotional testimony in strong support of the measure. Teachers hardly make a livable wage, they said.  Some pointed out that their classrooms lack AC and get so overheated that students can’t concentrate. 

One teacher cried, saying the state is forcing dedicated and qualified teachers to leave their field. 

Notably absent from the hearing were representatives for the Department of Education and Hawaii State Teachers Association.

Lawmakers said they empathized with teachers’ struggle. The committee passed the bill  but amended it by blanking out key specifics: the 1 percent and 20 percent provisions. Now the proposal will go to its second reading by the House Education Committee.

Republican Rep. Gene Ward was the only committee member to oppose the bill.

Tracie Koide, a 10th grade math teacher at Campbell High School, urged lawmakers to pass the measure.

— Alia Wong