Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on April 29, 2009, to appropriate $159 million in federal “stimulus” money that currently is being reserved for next year’s school budget, and another $59 million the House proposes getting from various tax hikes, to “undo” school spending reductions implemented by Gov. Jennifer Granholm through line-item budget vetoes and “executive order” per pupil foundation grant cuts. The bill would restore half the so-called “section 20(j)” to certain (mostly) wealthier school districts; undo $117 per pupil of the executive order cuts; and add $7.6 million in spending for certain preschool programs

The vote was 74 in favor, 29 opposed and 7 not voting

(House Roll Call 535 at House Journal 0)

Click here to view bill details.

 

Rep. Agema, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:

“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:

There are many additions to this original bill obtaining money from funds that don’t exist. How can we in good conscience vote for things that come from shadow funds. This will result in higher taxes because the legislature has no ability to actually stop spending money that doesn’t exist. Also, in testimony given yesterday, we’re not even sure if we will be required to pay the money back to the federal government because there is not enough maintenance of effort on our part because revenues have declined so much. This is a bad bill made to require a bad vote by legislators for political agenda.”