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In and outs of the political campaigns, focusing on Michigan and Lansing, Tim Skubick will report regularly throughout the primary and then general election campaigns.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Governor "About Face"

   He could have tagged her with a flip-flop charge but instead he took it down a notch and just accused her of "an about-face."  Either way the GOP leader in the Michigan House Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer was critical of Gov. Jennifer Granholm for announcing a pause on a $127 cut for every school kid in Michigan.
   Out of the blue, the governor called in the capitol press corps to announce the state had discovered some new revenue. That allows her to raise the hopes of school leaders that next January that $127 cut can itself be cut to a lower figure but there is no guarantee.
   Ever since she announced a projected $292 per pupil cut months ago, the republicans have criticized her for going around the state to "reve-up support for a tax hike" which Elsenheimer now dismisses as "sky-falling rhetoric" that was somehow not based in reality. He charged her with "playing politics with our school kids."
   She wouldn't dare.
   Ms. Granholm was asked about the appearance of a flip-flop.  After all she did announce cuts and is now saying some of them may not be necessary.
   "This is not about me," she protested, "this is about the schools" and the data is "based on the numbers."
    On this one she deserves the benefit of the doubt,  Mr. Elsenheimer's opinion not withstanding.
    It's highly unlikely that her state treasurer and state budget director would be co-conspirators in cooking-up money they didn't know would be there.
    Bob Kleine and Bob Emerson were as surprised as anyone to see the windfall, but they and the governor were up front with the school community noting that come January the $127 cut may stand or it could be reduced.
    It's temporary good news for schools that may be able to avoid some layoffs,  but it's like being on death row and getting a temporary repreive from the governor and knowing that it could be reinstated at anytime. 

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gimme a break!!! A $ 127.00 cut (less than 2%), or a $ 292.00 cut when others are taking 10 and 15% cuts or losing their jobs all together? How effite! How inconsiderate of anyone else's situation! How self righteous. Most teachers if they take no leave or sick days, when they are there, work less than 900 hours a year in the classroom. Administrators are hangers-on are way too many for the need. It's time these pigs had a little less thrown in their trough!

December 11, 2009 at 8:04 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with that comment. We have raise up a class of princes and princesses in our schools and governments. If any private sector business had such a scrap rate (kids who can't read, write, spell or add after graduating) they would go out of business. Parochial schools teach better at half the price, and many in buildings that would not be new enough for our spoiled public school crowd. Time for more schools of choice! Cut the fat, fat public schools. Make them compete.

December 11, 2009 at 8:09 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ITS NOT ABOUT THE CHILDREN NEVER HAS BEEN ITS ABOUT HEALTH CARE AND PENISON FOR THE TEACHERS IN MICHIGAN.

December 11, 2009 at 8:59 AM 
Blogger carraig said...

The failure to implement any of the $127 cut is wrong - if she foresees need for a $50 cut, it should have been pro rated this time out. Based on the numbers I have backed out of her announcement, the number should be around $200 rather than $292, but still higher than $165.

December 11, 2009 at 9:59 PM 

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