Topeka ? For more than a decade, Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence, has been a member of a coalition of legislative Democrats and moderate Republicans that has fought for increases in public school funding.

But on Thursday, Praeger voted twice against measures that would have raised base state aid to public schools by $20 per student. The proposals would have increased school spending from $3,870 per student to $3,890 per student, about a 1/2-percent increase that would have cost $12 million. Both proposals failed.

Praeger said she believed it was the first time in her 12-year legislative career that she voted against increasing funds to public schools.

The votes came on proposed amendments to the $4.3 billion state budget that was debated by the Senate.

Sen. Christine Downey, D-Inman, offered the first amendment, saying she was willing to back a tax increase to support the school-funding increase.

Downey’s amendment failed 15-24. All 10 Democrats and five Republicans voted for it, while 24 Republicans voted against it.

Praeger said she had voted against Downey’s measure in hopes that her “no” vote would lure conservative Republicans into voting for a tax increase later in the legislation session.

Because of a projected $700 million shortfall, Praeger said a tax increase would be needed just to keep public school funding at the current level. And Praeger said she was not afraid of voting for a tax increase  indeed hers was a key vote for a $335 million tax increase that was approved Thursday by a Senate committee on a 6-5 vote.

Lawrence Supt. Randy Weseman, who was in the gallery during debate, wasn’t critical of Praeger’s votes against school-funding increases.

“I think she’s trying to find the common ground that will push a decision forward in a timely manner. She has agonized over this and definitely thinks this is best,” Weseman said.

Conservatives said they still were not inclined to vote for a tax increase. It was a conservative Republican, Nancey Harrington, R-Goddard, who pushed the second school-funding amendment which would have increased funding by using highway dollars.

Praeger said she had voted against that because it would have “shifted funds that would have to be made up someplace else.”