Can you smell the politics brewing inside the state Capitol? Unfortunately the foul odor is working its way into our children’s classrooms.

Debate over possible teacher pay raises has begun again in Jackson and we’re amazed at how things can change in such a short time period. Teachers are threatening to strike and politicians are trying to dance around the campaign promises they are unlikely to keep.

Two weeks ago, Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck agreed with state legislative leaders who said tight finances would made teacher pay raises unlikely this year. Tuck admitted that the state can’t simply grab money from thin air.

The $330 million required to raise Mississippi teachers salaries to the Southeastern average have to come from somewhere, and the only logical place would be through either increasing taxes or trimming state services.

Two weeks ago this was clear to Tuck.

We think the combination of politics and fear that she’ll be hammered for not keeping a campaign promise caused Tuck to change her mind on Monday.

Tuck surprised many lawmakers when she unveiled a six-year teacher pay raise plan and reinvigorated the debate. Tuck’s plan would be funded if and only if the state’s revenues increased by 5 percent.

Tuck’s proposal is similar to Gov. Ronnie Musgrove’s plan – both are promise-now and figure-out-how-to-fund-it-later plans.

While we certainly think teachers deserve pay raises, lawmakers don’t need to give the raises because of political pressure. And they certainly don’t need to do so if our state cannot afford it.

If our lawmakers are merely going to sit in Jackson, bow to political pressure and spend vapor money, why don’t they save the state some real money and simply end the session early?