DES MOINES -- The Iowa House approved an increase of $157.6 million in aid to public K-12 schools Wednesday night for the school year that begins in the fall of 2009.

State Rep. Roger Wendt, D-Sioux City, said the Legislature will honor the state's commitments to education.

"We will make sure that we have the funds and the resources and the ways to do that and to keep on improving our education system," said Wendt, who guided the bill during debate.

The measure cleared the House on a 97-2 vote, with Reps. Scott Raecker, R-Urbandale, and Ralph Watts, R-Adel, voting no.

Of the increase, $112.6 million would come from state coffers. An estimated $45 million to 47 million would come from property tax increases.

Republicans sought unsuccessfully to keep the property tax increase out of the bill, instead trying to make the increase in school aid come solely from the state budget.

"Property taxes are too high," said Rep. Kraig Paulsen, a Republican from Hiawatha who pushed the idea.

Lawmakers are required to set the increase in state aid called "allowable growth" more than a year in advance. The measure approved Wednesday means a 4 percent increase for the 2009-2010 school year.

The measure moves now moves to the Iowa Senate for consideration.

Charlotte Eby can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.