After abandoning childhood education during and after Covid, Democrats produced a free-for-all spending budget full of pork programs that steal monies from direct education and put it into pet projects likes swimming pools, non-profit groups, and new buildings.
Per Gongwer:
“the first all-Democratic government in 40 years, combined with the previous Republican Legislature leaving billions in unspent one-time surplus revenues unused last year, produced an avalanche of spending on items like school pools, new school buildings, funds for career and technical centers and a slew of nonprofits doing work in the education space.”the first all-Democratic government in 40 years, combined with the previous Republican Legislature leaving billions in unspent one-time surplus revenues unused last year, produced an avalanche of spending on items like school pools, new school buildings, funds for career and technical centers and a slew of nonprofits doing work in the education space.
Some of the School Aid Fund surplus also went outside of K-12 for projects: $30 million was appropriated to Michigan State University for an engineering and digital innovation center, for example.
In total, a Gongwer News Service analysis of the education omnibus budget (SB 173) showed $335.4 million in School Aid Fund monies spent on 77 different earmarked items not generally designed to be available to most or all K-12 school districts. If those funds were placed into the foundation allowance, it would translate to another $241 per pupil.”
Nesbit voted no. But in a secret vote, again crossed lines to help Democrats in their spending spree, by voting for immediate effect.
Nesbitt voted no on SB174 supplemental bill.
Wendzel voted no.
Signed into law July 20, 2023: PA 103 of 2023