Legislative Update, Cuts Still Deep, Tell The Governor to Veto!
Our legislators were working on a K-12 budget last night that contains a reduction of more than $165 per student while holding on to $254 million in federal stimulus dollars for next year (an election year). The Kent ISD Grassroots group and City High/Middle PTSA's Education Advocacy Committee is asking you to call or email your Senators and Representatives TODAY and tell them that isn't acceptable. Contact the Governor and tell her to veto any bill they send to her that does not apply all the stimulus funding. Tell them all to do it now and then get to work immediately on fixing the structural deficit in next year's budget.
Background and Possibilities for Closing the Gap for Good:
And in case you don't know, a structural deficit occurs when you have a core service, such as education, that is assigned a revenue source that CONTINUALLY fails to meet the need, causing a self-perpetuating gap that grows exponentially. Education funding has NOT kept pace with costs and needs for several years because it is tied to a sales tax on GOODS other than food and does not tax the SERVICES upon which most people today spend their disposable income.
If Michigan Legislators weren't so afraid of not being re-elected, how could they close the ever-growing gap that is eroding education in Michigan?
There are several ways, but they all take a little moxy and public will...and some are controversial. For example:
1. They could tax all services in an equitable way, reapportioning the retail sales tax percentage into a lower combined percentage that applies to all goods and services. Opponents say this would dampen the economy. So, would you pay an extra quarter when you, say. buy a ticket to an entertainment event to educate our children? If you would, TELL YOUR LEGISLATORS!
2. They could reduce the $39 billion spent on corporate/economic development incentives by 4.1% and fund the entire K12 budget with the difference. The problem with this idea is that some people feel that although these corporate incentives haven't generated sufficient revenue to rationalize them, it could be hard to measure the economic impact in terms of retention of business in Michigan and the capacity to compete with other states to attract new business. But if you don't believe a 5% or less decrease in corporate incentives will stall the economy or that those funds are not administered efficiently, TELL YOUR LEGISLATORS!
3. They could increase the personal income tax rate BACK UP to the place it was at 10 years ago (from 4.35 to 4.6) acknowledging that to freeze taxes causes a REDUCTION in services or EROSION of infrastructure over time due to inflation and delivery costs. Better still, we could decide as a society that is would be okay to pay 5% in personal MI income tax, a full 1.4% less than former governor Blanchard's move to save services in Michigan during the recession of the early 1980s, when interest rates were 19%, in order to PRESERVE OR IMPROVE the quality of life and services available in Michigan. If you see the value in this, the necessity to pay as we go, TELL YOUR LEGISLATORS TO RAISE YOUR TAXES SO YOU CAN RAISE YOUR CHILD IN MICHIGAN.
Whatever your opinion or position, now is the time to get vocal and draw a line in the sand. Many of these same legislators are up for reelection next year. Do you have any power over them? We think you do. Please use it to save our schools.
Thank you. Your phone calls and emails are working. Keep it up.
House Members: http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp
Senators: http://senate.michigan.gov/FindYourSenator/michiganfys.asp?lookup=
Governor Granholm: http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-21995---,00.html
Follow the link to see the latest news on the Legislature's hijinx.
From: Ron Koehler
Subject: K-12 budget
The Legislature last night passed a K-12 budget that reduces funding by $165 per student. Better, but not good enough. As discussed last night at Grassroots, we should contact our legislators and let them know they're disappointed because they left $254 million in federal stimulus dollars for next year. We should contact the governor's office and ask for her to veto this bill, as we shouldn't be forced to make mid-year cuts when stimulus funds remain in reserve. Here's the story from MIRS.
K-12 Budget Heads To Gov.
The Legislature sent to the Governor today HB 4447, a $12.877 billion K-12 budget, which represents a $165 per pupil cut -- a slice that is $53 per pupil smaller than the version of the K-12 budget the House rejected last week.
The voting took place as the midnight hour approached and about an hour after the conference committee on HB 4447 unanimously reported it out. The overall deal that led to passage of the budget included Senate proposed revenue increases without tax hikes. It did not include federal stimulus dollars.
Instead it included an array of measures such as freezing the Earned Income Tax Credit, reducing some film credits and a three-year phase-out of the Michigan Business Tax surcharge.
Although HB 4447 is on its way to Gov. Jennifer GRANHOLM, the deal has yet to be consummated. The House has not taken up the bills that constitute the Senate's revenue proposals.
MIRS asked House Minority Leader Kevin ELSENHEIMER (R-Bellaire) if he was concerned that the budget could get signed and promulgated, and the House Democrats will still hold out against the Republican-backed revenue plans.
"We're confident the Speaker and the Senate Majority Leader will be willing to work toward getting funding that is viable," Elsenheimer said. "We're willing to wait."
Elsenheimer said the budget included several items House Republicans consider important, including language in HB 4447 that would require school districts to create consolidation reports in order to qualify for tapping into categorical funds. In reference to the overall deal, Elsenheimer said his caucus was very encouraged at the prospect of the MBT surcharge phase-out.
He was then asked about prospective changes House Democrats might try to make to the revenue side of the plan.
"So far none of our members have voted for anything that could come across as a tax increase," Elsenheimer said. "I can tell you that we think the surcharge phase-out is very important and we're going to be keeping an open mind."
House Speaker Andy DILLON (D-Redford Twp.) did not speak with the news media following the vote, however, House Majority Floor Leader Kathy ANGERER (D-Dundee) did.
She praised the work of her own caucus in getting additional funding for the K-12 budget, but referred to the Senate revenue proposals in a highly speculative manner.
"The Senate Republicans gave us a revenue proposal -- finally," Angerer said. "We'll be looking at that and considering it over the next few days. But, as grave as things are, we did get the per pupil cuts reduced to $165, which isn't as much as we would have liked - but it's a lot better than $218."
In conjunction with the lower per pupil spending cut, the version of HB 4447 that passed tonight included decreased reductions to Intermediate School District (ISD) Operations from 44.6 percent to 20 percent. Overall the budget was increased by just shy of $100 million.
According to the latest figures available (2007-08) from the National Education Association (NEA), Michigan ranks 15th in the category of per-pupil spending, with 35 states spending less in the category.
NEA statistics show Michigan at $11,082, which is $1,119 more than the $9,963 national average. With the $218 per-pupil cut, the amount would fall to $10,864 and the ranking would fall to 17th, leaving 33 states spending less per pupil. With the $165 decrease, Michigan's per pupil spending would fall to $10,917, which would be $1,172 higher than the national average.
But sources within the Michigan Education Association (MEA) argue that the budget cuts reflected in the first conference report would have resulted in lay-offs that would have had the same or even worse economic impacts that those in the private sector.
MIRS asked House Appropriations Chair George CUSHINGBERRY (D-Detroit), a member of the conference committee, if votes would be taken on the floor overnight on every aspect of the overall deal. He advised that "yes" they would. However, this was prior to his entering the House Democratic Caucus where the issue apparently took a different direction.
Following lengthy caucuses that actually began prior to the conference committee being called to order, the House took up the new version of HB 4447.
All but two Republicans voted for the bill, they were: Rep. Tom PEARCE (R-Rockford) and Rep. Tory ROCCA (R-Sterling Heights). The 41 Republicans who voted "yes" were joined by 25 Democrats who voted "yes" with them. They were Reps.: Angerer, Dillon, Timothy BLEDSOE (D-Grosse Pointe Farms), Terry BROWN (D-Pigeon), Pam BYRNES (D-Chelsea), George CUSHINGBERRY (D-Detroit), Robert DEAN (D-Grand Rapids), Marie DONIGAN (D-Royal Oak), Fred DURHAL (D-Detroit), John ESPINOZA (D-Croswell), Lee GONZALES (D-Flint), Marty GRIFFIN (D-Jackson), Richard HAMMEL (D-Mt. Morris Twp.), Michael LAHTI (D-Hancock), Richard LEBLANC (D-Westland), Gabe LELAND (D-Detroit), LaMar LEMMONS, Jr. (D-Detroit), Gary MCDOWELL (D-Rudyard), Tim MELTON (D-Auburn Hills), Gino POLIDORI (D-Dearborn), Roy SCHMIDT (D-Grand Rapids), Mike SIMPSON (D-Jackson), Jim SLEZAK (D-Davison), Dudley SPADE (D-Tipton), Jon SWITALSKI (D-Warren), and Jimmy WOMACK (D-Detroit).
There are six freshman House Democrats who have voted "no" on every contentious all-cut budget and every revenue hike. They are Reps.: Lisa BROWN (D-West Bloomfield), Jennifer HAASE (D-Richmond), Mike HUCKLEBERRY (D-Greenville), Sarah ROBERTS (D-St. Clair Shores), Kate SEGAL (D-Battle Creek) and Dian SLAVENS (D-Canton Twp.).
There has been more than one surly comment by House Democratic colleagues of this half-dozen members voting for neither cuts nor revenues. However, it's unknown whether the caucus has been advising them on which votes to make in light of their vulnerability.