The hearing Monday on proposed changes in state aid that would save about $34 million in state taxes next fiscal year was short and sweet.

No one officially opposed the plan that would shrink state aid to schools, though the state teachers union representative said teachers would prefer to see no cuts to education.

The state will spend less money on state aid next fiscal year, under the governor's proposed cuts, but the overall budget for state aid would remain flat due to increased federal funding.

Most people at the Monday afternoon public hearing said they appreciated that the governor proposed no cuts in state aid this fiscal year and agreed that changing factors in the formula was a fair way to handle the cuts planned next fiscal year.

The Lincoln Public Schools board and administrators recognize that "we are in difficult economic times, difficult for individuals and difficult for state government," said Mark Shepard, associate superintendent for business affairs. "We recognize that everyone must do their part," he said.

The Education Committee will not send a state aid plan to the full Legislature until members are able to see the latest estimates on how the changes in the formula would affect each district, said Chairman Greg Adams.

Those estimates may be available today, he said. Committee members want to make sure the bill "will be as accurate in terms of impact on aid as we can make it," he said.

Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.