State Democratic lawmakers outlined a package of education bills Tuesday that include measures to increase library funding, reduce class sizes, reserve more money for K-12 spending and pay for all-day kindergarten programs.

Some of their proposals echo education goals set by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., a Republican. Democrats might also find themselves aligned with Huntsman on the issue of tax cuts.

Record tax revenues are expected to generate as much as a $1 billion surplus for lawmakers to figure out what to do with next year's budget. Huntsman's proposed budget sets aside $60 million for tax cuts, while the House GOP caucus recently decided to push for a $230 million cut.

Rep. Brad King, D-Price, said Democrats haven't finished hammering out their budget proposal but their tax cut suggestion will be closer to the governor's.

King and state Sen. Karen Hale, D-Salt Lake City, noted that their caucus also supports establishing all-day kindergarten classes for students in poorer schools as well as continuing funding for a reading initiative and new funding to boost math instruction -- all initiatives called for in Huntsman's proposed budget.

The kindergarten program "is one area where the figures show we can make a difference," King said. "We are going to do all that we can as a caucus to make this happen."

Rep. Lou Shurtliff, D-Ogden, said she will sponsor legislation requiring that at least 90 percent of money in the Uniform School Fund is spent on K-12.

Both overall school funding and the amount spent on K-12 has increased in the last 10 years, according to a chart prepared using numbers from the Legislative Fiscal Analyst's Office. The portion devoted to K-12 was above 90 percent for five of those years -- including 2002-2004 -- but in the 2005 and 2006 fiscal years it dropped to 86 percent.

"My concern is, this is decreasing," said Shurtliff.

The shift is being caused by a relatively new practice of using school fund money for higher education, said House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City.

Higher education funding used to come from the separate state general fund, he said, but that's changed.

"We really saw this last session in very stark terms," he said. "We were taking Uniform School Fund money and moving that to higher education" -- which, in turn, freed up money in the general fund for other uses.

"That's where we see the core of a funding problem," said Becker. "We're seeing a deterioration of Uniform School Fund money going to public education, and that's creating a squeeze."

He also said the Democrats' proposals would not require any additional money beyond what's already being generated by taxes.

"We're convinced that the funds are available ... if we prioritize state funds and commit ourselves accordingly," Becker said. "We need to prepare our students better for our future. Education trumps all other components in economic development."

The caucus hasn't taken a position on two education-related bills that are likely to generate a lot of discussion -- proposals by Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, that would forbid the teaching of evolution as fact and prohibit the presence of clubs like the Gay-Straight Alliance in public schools.

Nor will they, said Lee Martinez, communications coordinator for the Democratic caucus.

"That's a decision for individual members to make with regards to their own constituencies," he said.

Democrats are the minority in the state Legislature, holding only eight of 25 seats in the Senate and 19 of 75 seats in the House of Representatives.

State Democratic lawmakers unveiled a list of proposed education legislation Tuesday for the legislative session that starts Jan. 16. Included were bills on:

School funds: Would require that 90 percent of revenue generated for schools be spent on K-12 education

Class sizes: Proposes $35 million to cover the cost of reducing class sizes to no more than 20 students in kindergarten through third-grade classes

Libraries: Proposes a one-time, $4 million appropriation to update and expand resources at school libraries

Professional development/teacher pay: Would fund a mentoring program for new teachers and raise the annual starting teaching salary to $30,000

Assessment alternative: Allows an alternative for high school graduation

Reading: Would require students to read at grade level in order to advance to the next grade

They also expressed support for three proposals put forth by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. -- establishing all-day kindergarten in poorer elementary schools and programs to help with math and reading instruction and comprehension. Those programs have a combined price tag of $19.5 million.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.