By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – Speculation has been growing about moving money from the state education budget to the General Fund budget because the next education budget has extra money available, but the General Fund is facing a shortfall. State Democratic leaders say education tax dollars will not be used to fund non-education programs like Medicaid. Senate President Pro Tem Lowell Barron and other Democratic Senators announced Thursday that they will oppose any potential transfer from the education budget to the General Fund budget. House Democrats, meanwhile, held a retreat last weekend where they also agreed to vote against the diversion of education money to non-education programs in the General Fund.