Before you reflexively deride this week’s GOP budget proposal consider this: it just might pave the way for greater investments in our schools.

In a provocative new school funding case, a federal court judge in Kansas City ruled against parents from the suburban Shawnee Mission school district who had wanted to increase property taxes above the state mandated limit. This is a local control debate that is sure to heat up as we stumble through the current financial crisis.

For years, our public schools have paid as little attention to personnel costs as General Motors has.