It’s not the new math- it’s the political reality.

It will take two Republican votes in the state Assembly and two more in the state Senate to extend the temporary taxes and head off another $12.5 billion in cuts.

Those two votes in each house will preserve about $4.1 billion for public education in the coming year.

That’s why two (GOP votes in the Senate) and two (GOP votes in the Assembly) makes $4.1 billion.