Mich. gov meets with school officials over cuts

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday she hasn't decided where she'll make cuts in the six remaining budget bills on her desk.

But the money she vetoed earlier this week from a public schools budget is still causing waves.

The Democratic governor said Tuesday she was forced to veto $51 million targeted for 39 school districts from the education budget because lawmakers didn't include enough money to pay for the bill as revenues have fallen. Senate Republicans deny that and say she's using schoolchildren as pawns to push for higher taxes.

The State Board of Education has moved up its regularly scheduled November meeting to Monday to address education financing. The board originally was to meet Nov. 10. The public schools budget was cut 2.9 percent in the new budget year that just started.

"With a school aid budget enacted that cut spending to schools by $165 per pupil, and a revenue forecast that most likely will result in another cut in funding later this year, this matter is too urgent to put off for even another two weeks," State Board of Education President Kathleen Straus said in a news release.

Granholm met Wednesday with the superintendent of Livonia Public Schools, which lost $4.9 million - or more than $300 per student - when she vetoed the money for the 39 districts. Some of those districts get more than $11,000 a year per student, almost $4,000 more than the basic foundation grant that poorer districts receive. They'll now be more in line with the basic grant unless lawmakers override her veto.

She also stopped in Brighton to talk with officials and parents from several Livingston County school districts. None are getting cut more than $165 per pupil, but the governor wanted to discuss why she thinks more cuts will be coming unless lawmakers approve more money for schools, spokeswoman Liz Boyd said.

Granholm told reporters at a plug-in electric vehicle conference Wednesday in Detroit that she likely will have to veto even more spending in the six budget bills because declining revenues are affecting what the state can afford unless taxes and fees are increased.

"I have to get confirmation on the numbers so I know exactly what there is available to spend," she said. "I want to make sure that we do this right."

The governor seeks a compromise with Senate Republicans to raise money for four priorities: college scholarships, public schools, health care, and money that local governments can spend on police and fire protection. But Senate Republicans say tax increases aren't needed to balance the budget, and that Michigan's $2.8 billion deficit has forced deep cuts.

Lawmakers have passed a series of budget bills containing more than $1 billion in cuts to address the shortfall in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

The state is operating under an interim budget that expires Oct. 31, so Granholm has a deadline to act on the six remaining budget bills, which cover general government expenses, human services, state police, community health, higher education, and energy, labor and economic growth.

The bills passed both the House and Senate 20 days ago, but were put on hold in a parliamentary move by Republicans who control the Senate.

---

Associated Press Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this story.