Are you wondering why Rep. Shannon McMillan voted against six of the seven public school budgets that passed the House?

She’s not saying.

Lewiston Tribune reporter Bill Spence sought out some answers from McMillan, R-Silverton. McMillan, said Spence, “brusquely refused to answer.”

That’s nothing new, wrote Spence.

“(McMillan) did the same thing last year, when she also voted against six of the seven budgets, as well as the new career ladder teacher pay plan.”

It took the House less than a half an hour to pass the seven budget bills, which would put more than $1.5 billion into the K-12 system. No lawmakers debated against the budgets, which passed with only a smattering of conservative opposition.

McMillan came close on Monday, but she wasn’t the House’s resident Dr. No.

Rep. Vito Barbieri opposed all seven K-12 budgets — and explained his reasoning to Betsy Russell of the Spokane Spokesman-Review.

“I just think at a certain point the question has to be asked: Can the taxpayer afford it?” said Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens.

To see how your lawmaker voted on the K-12 budgets — and other education bills — search our Bill Tracker.