The chairman of a Senate education budget committee says a raise for school employees appears unlikely in the fiscal year that begins next October.
Chairman Trip Pittman said Tuesday repaying the education budget's debt to the state Rainy Day Fund is a priority for fiscal 2015 because it's required by state law.
Pittman says debt and other obligations, including increased health insurance costs, will likely use up extra money in the fiscal 2015 budget.
Pittman and House budget committee Chairman Bill Poole of Tuscaloosa held a news conference Tuesday to discuss their commitment to repaying the Rainy Day Fund on time. But Poole said it's too early to rule out any expenditure for fiscal 2015.
Teachers got a 2 percent raise in the fiscal 2014 budget that took effect Tuesday.