LANSING – State Representative Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland) today joined his House colleagues in calling on the Senate to join them in protecting local schools by returning to the bargaining table to restore education funding. The lawmakers warned that additional cuts announced this week are too deep and will prevent the state from moving forward.
"These cuts to education put our children's future and the progress of our entire state on the line," LeBlanc said. "If we want to turn our economy around and get our workers back on the job, we must fund our priorities – especially education. Our schools and students have already taken too many hits. It's imperative that the Senate gets on board and works to properly fund education."
On Thursday, the Governor ordered $212 million in school funding cuts – $127 per-pupil – just days after 20j schools across the state, including nine in Western Wayne County, were hit with $52 million in cuts as part of her veto to sections of the School Aid Budget, which already included a $165 per-pupil cut.
LeBlanc and his colleagues called on the Senate to return to negotiations and agree to targeted revenues to fund priorities such as education. Earlier this month, the House proposed creating the Michigan Future Fund that would be used exclusively for priorities that are essential for Michigan's economic turnaround such as police and fire protection, education, Promise Scholarships, and health care for kids and seniors.
Since 2003, lawmakers have reduced government spending by $6 billion. In addition to those cuts, LeBlanc voted for a plan to cut lawmakers' pay – including his own – by 10 percent. LeBlanc also voted to cut $1.7 million from the House budget by reducing all lawmakers' budgets and requiring staff to pay more for health care.