State funding for public schools may receive a major overhaul this year.
The K-16 Coalition for Michigan’s Future started a successful petition drive in Fall 2005 to place a proposal on the November 2006 ballot asking the state to increase annual funding for K-16 public schools, community colleges and universities to equal the rate of inflation.
‘This legislation will provide a level of stability that has been missing since Proposal A passed,? wrote Brooke Davis, history teacher and president of the Clarkston Education Association in an e-mail to The Clarkston News. ‘State Legislatures have been slow to inform schools of what funding levels would be and have even cut funding mid year making it difficult to establish budgets. In Clarkston, that has led to very conservative budgeting that led to cutting programs that we didn’t need to cut. We want to spend the money we get each year on the kids in school that year. Lansing needs to be more timely with information so schools can plan accurately.?
Even though the number of signatures required to place the issue on the November ballot were obtained, the coalition is not yet submitting the proposal. According to spokesperson Ken MacGregor, the coalition has a rolling deadline until late February, at which point some signatures would no longer be valid. In that time, MacGregor said the coalition hopes the state legislature will take action on the matter instead.
‘Providing a good K-16 education to our children is critical to fostering economic growth and job creation in Michigan,? said Coalition Chair Tom White. ‘We’re calling on the legislature to resolve the education funding crisis in Michigan now and provide adequate funding for Michigan’s public schools, community colleges and public universities.?
MacGregor said a legislative solution is the best way to go and the coalition is now in a position to move them to do so.
MacGregor added the state government would not necessarily need to cut into other sections of the budget to compensate for the extra funding, and instead suggested the state reverse certain tax cuts or expand revenue sources.
State officials, however, are not pleased with such suggestions.
‘They’re putting us in a no-win situation,? said State Sen. Mike Bishop. ‘Unless they are going to propose a major tax hike, I don’t know where they are going to get the money.
‘If I’m going to vote for something, I’d like to know how I’m going to pay for it,? Bishop added. ‘Show me the money. What more can I say??
Though Bishop and State Representative John Stakoe said neither of them are privy to any possible discussions on the matter, both would prefer to see the issue resolved by the legislature.
‘We have an appropriations process for a reason,? Stakoe said. Stakoe echoed Bishop’s sentiment, saying that a hypothetical three percent increase in inflation would mean the state would have to find $400 million in the budget to compensate..
‘Is it going to tell us how to prioritize the cuts? Because I’m the one who has to make these cuts.?
Bishop voiced his frustration with the way the debate is being handled. With 36 percent of the state budget already going towards K-12 education, he said he does not like the rhetoric of the coalition is using to paint an all-or-nothing, ‘for us or against us? picture that makes anyone who disagrees with the proposal look anti-education. Bishop said he is a big advocate of public education and the described the coalition’s methods for furthering the debate as ‘counterproductive? and ‘irresponsible.?
Bishop also showed concern for how the proposal is stirring the pot about how public schools get their funding, and worries that the issue will cause tension between the public and schools.
‘I don’t want the public to turn against the public school system,? Bishop.