Senator Anderson Fights for School Funding for Local Districts
March 26, 2010
The following information was released by the Michigan State Senate, Democratic Caucus:
State Senator Glenn S. Anderson voted today in support of a bipartisan amendment that would restore vital funding for local school districts in the School Aid Budget. Upon passage of Senate Bill 884, a bill that would create a tax amnesty period for individuals delinquent on their state income tax, the amendment would dedicate funding collected during that period to be used to partially restore funding for 20J schools in Michigan, including Livonia and Clarenceville Public Schools. The School Aid Budget was passed in the Senate 20-17.
Todays amendment was a victory for our schools in the effort to restore the needed funding to prepare our kids for tomorrows jobs, said Anderson. Cuts to school funding will hurt these kids and their future, as well as the states success down the road. Its just irresponsible to keep cutting education funding without recognizing the damage this is causing to our schools. I am glad to have been able to work across the aisle with my colleagues to push this helpful amendment to the budget through the Senate.
Last year, Senator Anderson actively opposed Governor Granholms cuts to 20J schools in the 2009-10 School Aid Budget, which included $4.9 million in cuts to Livonia Public Schools or $481 per student, a cut of $316 in addition to the $165 cut applied to schools statewide. Clarenceville Public Schools were also hit hard last year, with a cut of over $500,000 to the district, or $318 per student, from the loss of the 20J funds.
Senator Anderson, however, expressed concerns over additional cuts made to schools in the 2010-2011 School Aid Budget passed today and pledged to continue to fight for funding for all schools in his district.
I am happy that I could help to pass a measure that will potentially restore funding to school districts that I represent, but it is not enough, Anderson said. I will continue to work closely with school officials to advocate for school funding restoration.