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Politics & Government

Local Legislators Decry State School Cuts

Parents, teachers and elected officials spoke out Monday against school funding cuts proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder and Republicans in Lansing.

Even with the promise of restored money, cuts to Michigan's School Aid Fund will be more kill than cure, local school officials and legislators said.

"They show you death but expect you to be happy with a coma," Ferndale Superintendent Gary Meier said Monday at the school funding forum at .

Ferndale will lose "more than $2 million" a year — and all Michigan public schools will lose a combined $1.1 billion — if the proposed state budget is adopted as is, Meier said.

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Time to lobby for changes is available but is fleeting, legislators said.

"The timeline on the budget is moving fast," said state Rep. Ellen Cogen Lipton (D-27th District), one of three local legislators who hosted Monday night's forum at FHS.

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Legislative task force groups will meet as soon as next week to iron out budget differences, she said.

Class sizes could grow, and electives such as art and music could face cuts if the budget is left unchanged, legislators said.

That caused a concern for Kristine Bolhuis, whose kindergarten-age son has overcome a rare hearing disability with help from the local schools.

"Our lives have been deeply touched by the programs available through our public schools," Bolhuis said.

Jason Gillespie, president of the Ferndale Education Association, said 63 of his union's 225 members already face layoffs as the district prepares for next year's cuts.

"Some, of course, will be called back," he said. "But we're not even considering alternatives. It doesn't make sense: I pay no tax when I play golf, but my students could be packed into a class of 30 or more."

First-year special education teacher Josh Kimball, who faces layoff, said he could get by, but he wondered whether the autistic children he teaches could do the same.

"I'm an adult, I have choices," he said. "But they don't."

The issue, legislators said, is that Michigan is changing its school aid formula by lumping colleges together with K-12 districts. By doing so, legislators said colleges would be removed from the state's general fund budget, and the savings  would be used to help offset a massive tax break for businesses.

"We do need jobs in Michigan," said state Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D-Lathrup Village). "But is this the way to do it? I'm convinced that it's not.”

Some legislators believe all school aid money "is going in the pockets of teachers," Hobbs said. "But even with all the concessions you want, schools would still find themselves with deficits."

Monday's audience included about 30 parents, teachers and school board members.

While acknowledging they might be preaching to the choir, legislators still urged them to contact the governor's office, as well of as the offices of pro-school cut legislators.

"You've already (made) a difference," said state Sen. Vincent Gregory (D-Southfield), noting that a proposal that would have cut even more from schools was averted because of heavy public outcry.

Even if the state budget passes with changes, the battle for secure and more stable education funding shouldn't end, Meier said.

"The discussion shouldn’t end, it should continue."

Correction: In a previous version of this story, Josh Kimball's was referred to as Justin Kimball.

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