State Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Dear parents, educators and advocates,
We can no longer afford to keep “kicking the can” in the face of our school districts by just “cutting our way to a balanced budget. Our school communities deserve better than what Governor Snyder’s proposed budget would deliver. His plan simply kicks that can to the schoolhouses’ front doors and fails to deal with fixing the REAL problems.
Synder’s proposed budget has REAL financial consequences to our schools:
- $470 per pupil cut to K-12
- Eliminates the total funding for the bilingual education grants – $2.8 million
- $452 million in Foundation Allowance Payments to K-12
- Raids the School Aid Fund for K-12 to cover up Higher Education/Community Colleges cuts
Our state is in a tough situation, but Governor Snyder’s proposed cuts go against our most important job as lawmakers – facilitating job creation and supporting families. You can count on me to work in a bipartisan manner until we pass a fair and balanced budget.
I cannot achieve this alone, however – I need to count on you as well. I invite you to attend the following Appropriations Subcommittee meetings being held here in Lansing:
Tuesday, March 8
10:30 a.m.: Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid, Room 426 Capitol Building
Tuesday, March 15
10:30 a.m.: Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid, Room 426 Capitol Building
Noon: Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Room 426 Capitol Building
Tuesday, March 22
10:30 a.m.: Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid, Room 426 Capitol Building
Noon: Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Room 426 Capitol Building
Tuesday, March 29
10:30 a.m.: Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid, Room 426 Capitol Building
Noon: Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Room 426 Capitol Building
Your involvement will provide REAL feedback in the following ways:
- Acknowledging ongoing cost-saving measures already occurring
- Providing perspective from local school community members that will be impacted
- Speaking to the changes that SHOULD be happening instead of “just cutting” budgets
If you are able to attend, please contact my office at the number below.
Please forward this invitation to your school contacts, be they officials, administrators, teachers, parents, students, PTO members, coaches, or club advisers.
Thank you, and I hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
State Representative Rashida H. Tlaib
12th House District
For more information please visit my website.
Office Address
N691 House Office Building
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514
Phone: 517-373-0823
Fax: 517-373-5993 Toll-free 877-852-4212
Editor: If you are unable to attend, you can watch some of these sessions on-line live at http://house.michigan.gov/htv.asp.
Below is the webcast schedule for the upcoming days:
| Tuesday, March 8, 2011 |
| 9:00AM Standing Committee Meeting Energy and Technology 519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI |
| 10:30AM Standing Committee Meeting Commerce 519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI |
| 12:00PM Standing Committee Meeting Oversight, Reform, and Ethics 326 House Office Building, Lansing, MI |
| 1:30PM House of Representatives Session State Capitol |
| 2:30PM Standing Committee Meeting Tax Policy 519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI |
| Wednesday, March 9, 2011 |
| 9:00AM Standing Committee Meeting Education 519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI |
| 10:30AM Standing Committee Meeting Tax Policy 519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI |
| 1:30PM House of Representatives Session State Capitol |
| 3:00PM Joint House Committee Meeting Education and Appropriations : Subcommittee on School Aid Room 352, House Appropriations, 3rd Floor, State Capitol |
What were the outcomes to these hearings? Were any amendments included in the budget to restore funding for bilingual education?