Dems Propose Change in Law to Guarantee School Funding (MI)

March 30, 2011

Lansing — Democratic lawmakers will introduce a constitutional amendment to protect the money earmarked in the state School Aid Fund from being raided to balance the budget, they announced today.

Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposed budget would cut $470 per student from schools, while using about $900 million from the School Aid fund to help fund community colleges and universities.

The amendment could be approved if passed by two-thirds of both the House and Senate.

Members of the Senate and House Democratic caucuses were joined at a morning press conference by about a dozen parents, as well as school administrators and school board members, who said the quality of education will decline if the cuts are approved by the Legislature.

"Every single school district in our state is going to be impacted by this," said Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing.

Whitmer said voters who approved the Michigan Lottery in 1972, and Proposal A in 1994, did so with the understanding that the funds generated by these measures would be dedicated to supporting education.

"The School Aid Fund was dedicated for schools. Voters said, ‘Put the money in a special fund where no one else can grab it,’" Whitmer said. "Regardless of what reforms you want to talk about, whether it’s tax or pensions or any of that…this issue should be taken off the table.

"The governor’s forcing a crisis that does not exist in the school aid fund. It only exists when you take the money out and use it to pad corporate bottom lines."

Snyder’s budget and tax reform proposal would cut $1.8 billion in business tax revue, a move the governor believes is essential to improving Michigan’s business climate and economy. That business tax cut would be offset by cuts to education and other areas of the budget, as well as by eliminating most personal and business tax credits and exemptions.

Lucy Lafleur, who has three children in the East Grand Rapids school district, was among parents who joined the Democrats this morning.
<br /& gt;
"I have heard a lot of parents say they thought Gov. Snyder was pro-education, and they're very disappointed in this," Lafleur said following the press conference. "He ran as the highly education 'nerd'."