School funding and abortion rights dominated the conversation at Saturday’s legislative forum at the Washington County Courthouse.

State Sens. Kevin Kinney and Rich Taylor, both Democrats, and State Reps. Jarad Klein and Joe Mitchell, both Republicans, all gave their thoughts on those issues and others at the forum.

Klein pointed out that the House recently agreed to a 2.5% spending increase in education funding, as well as an additional $7.6 million for transportation equity for rural schools.

“That’s $239,000 for the Mid-Prairie school district in transportation equity,” Klein said. “We want to make sure rural districts get a fair shake.”

Taylor lamented that the 2.5% increase “doesn’t keep up with inflation.”

Highland school board member said that the district has had to make cuts because state funding has dwindled over the years.

“It’s still less than the 3.35% we need for the school,” Engel said. “We used to have four principals and a full-time superintendent. Now, we have two principals and a half-time superintendent.”

A school official from Washington added, “We need 3.2% in Washington to break even.”

Klein said that legislators understand the needs of the schools, but those needs are weighed against other needs in the state.

He also pointed out that education still takes up the majority of the state budget.

The State Senate has proposed a 2.1% increase in education funding.

“We’re still in negotiations with the Senate,” Klein said.