FRANKFORT — The chairman of the House budget committee says most of a $50 million education windfall should go toward one-time teacher bonuses instead of starting programs that need ongoing tax support.

        Rep. Harry Moberly's proposal would make the payments to teachers and other teaching-certified school personnel in spring 2002.

        Mr. Moberly, chairman of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, said the bonuses make more sense than using the surplus to create new programs.

        “You can't do significant recurring programs with one-time money like that,” said Mr. Moberly, a Richmond Democrat.

        Mr. Moberly's plan is expected to be endorsed by the Kentucky Education Association at a meeting Friday to discuss pending legislation.

        “I can't imagine we wouldn't support it,” Judith Gambill, president of the KEA, said Thursday.

        She said the General Assembly must take action soon to boost salaries on an annual basis to solve chronic teacher shortages around the state.

        However, Janet Jackson, president of the Northern Kentucky Education Association, is skeptical.

        The bill requires that employees have a satisfactory rating in their last job review to qualify for the bonuses.

        By linking the bonuses to evaluations, Ms. Jackson said, the proposal closely resembles merit pay, which the teachers' union strongly opposes.

        “If that's what they want to do with the money, nobody's going to turn them down,” she said. “But it's hard to get too excited. ... There's loose strings attached.”

        Mr. Moberly's bill would set aside 95 percent of the surplus for bonuses for all school employees with teaching certificates. The remaining 5 percent would be spent on teacher quality and improvement.

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