Royal Oak Superintendent Dr. Thomas Moline hit the nail on the head when recently testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee in support of my resolution urging an override of the governors veto of 20j funding.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Royal Oak Superintendent Dr. Thomas Moline hit the nail on the head when recently testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee in support of my resolution urging an override of the governor’s veto of 20j funding.
Moline said, “Royal Oak families send more tax money to Lansing every year than our school district receives back.”
He added, “The governor’s action on October 19 regarding 20j is a promise broken – a promise made to 40 public school districts that they would not be seriously harmed by the Proposal A funding system.”
In addition to Moline, superintendents Dr. Steve Gaynor of Bloomfield Schools and Dr. George Heitsch of Avondale Schools and representatives for Birmingham and Troy Schools all traveled to Lansing to testify in support of my measure.
I’m relieved to report that my measure, Senate Resolution 88, was approved. It urges the House of Representatives to override the governor’s line item veto of nearly $52 million in 20j funding that will affect 12 school districts in Oakland County and another 28 across the state. As the School Aid budget is a House-originated bill this cycle, any override attempt must start in that chamber.
The Senate passed a plan that protected this funding. It’s time for the House to stand up to the governor and do what is right and in the best interest of school children across our state and override this veto.
The six schools districts affected in the 13th District are listed below with their per pupil reductions that incorporate the governor’s veto cuts to 20j funding and the governor’s pro-rata cut of $127 per pupil.
- Avondale School District – $596 per pupil
- Birmingham Public Schools – $414 per pupil
- Bloomfield Hills School District – $411 per pupil
- Lamphere Schools (Madison Heights) – $469 per pupil
- School District of the city of Royal Oak – $554 per pupil
- Troy School District – $540 per pupil
SR 88 now advances to the full Senate for consideration.
The governor’s extremely short-sighted actions will cripple schools in Oakland County and around the state, as they were counting on these funds to educate our children. I strongly urge the House to immediately override the governor’s misguided line item veto.
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