MARQUETTE - With the Governor’s proposed budget slashing hundreds of millions of dollars from Michigan schools, State Representative Steven Lindberg (D-Marquette) today stood up against the deep cuts and called for the “shared sacrifice” the new administration promised.
“The Governor is proposing drastic cuts to our schools on top of cuts that they have already been dealing with year after year,” Lindberg said. “We simply can’t keep balancing the budget by taking money away from our children’s education, especially when businesses are telling us that they need a skilled workforce in order to create jobs in Michigan. We are looking at severe damage to our schools’ ability to educate our children - our future workers - if these cuts go through. This budget takes our children and our economy in the wrong direction.”
The Governor’s budget effectively cuts school funding by $715 per student, which will result in increased class sizes and outdated textbooks and technology in classrooms. The Governor’s budget raids the School Aid Fund by taking nearly $900 million from K-12 education and shifting it to pay for the Community Colleges and Higher Education budgets. This marks the first time since Proposal A passed that the School Aid Fund would be raided to fund universities.
Lindberg and his colleagues have launched a website - www.FightSchoolCuts.com - that has an interactive map that lets visitors enter their ZIP code and see how the proposed cuts will devastate our school districts across the state. Visitors are also encouraged to sign a petition in opposition of these cuts.
“I think everyone is on board with the ‘shared sacrifice’ the Governor promised, but his actions don’t match his words,” Lindberg said. “It’s not acceptable to put such a heavy burden on our children. Cutting funding means they won’t get the instruction they need and won’t get the up-to-date materials like books and computers they need. The cost of an undereducated workforce is one that our state simply cannot afford.
“If we’re serious about creating jobs and turning Michigan’s economy around, we need to give our schools the tools they need to educate our children. Parents, educators and community members all need to stand up to these cuts before it’s too late.”
