GOP Russia Hawks Have a New Plan to Outmaneuver Isolationists
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Sen. Lindsey Graham wants to tie sanctions against Russia to the coming
bill to fund the federal government.
8 hours ago
Friday, December 18, 2009
Nothing better to do on a Friday night
If you are still up on a Friday night, call your legislator. They are still in session and will be considering the RTTT bills. As soon as I get an update, I will post again
RTTT bills? Results from late night legislative bargaining
While a conceptual framework was reached at 4 AM, it is considered to be fragile. Our lobbyists have stated that they are cautiously optimistic after discussions with legislative leadership. However, when the bill is printed, Don Noble and our other lobbyists will be studying the RTTT bills to ensure that our members are protected.
Here is the latest from the legislative news service MIRS
Here's the good news. The Legislative Service Bureau (LSB) is drafting the Race To The Top (RTTT) education reform bills that reflect the compromise negotiators reached at 4 a.m. this morning and conferees are already fly-specking parts of the drafts.
"We want to make sure that the intent of what we did is in the language," said Rep. Tim MELTON (D-Pontiac), chair of two of the four conference committees scheduled today.
But here's the bad news. It looks like it's shaping up to be another late night. Although the Senate and House are due in at 1:30 p.m., sources in both chambers said not to expect any action with House members being informed the attendance board will be kept open until 3:30 p.m.
It's rumored that LSB will be done printing around 4 p.m. Assuming there are no major hang-ups in reviewing the bills, conference committees will meet afterward. The reports are expected to have the votes in conference and then both chambers will need to caucus.
That means that floor votes probably won't start until this evening.
Sources say the agreement reached at 4 a.m., as broken by MIRS (See "Deal Reached On Race To The Top," 12/17/09) is still fragile. There were still talks this morning and a Senate GOP source still referred to it as the "framework" for an agreement.
Sen. Buzz THOMAS (D-Detroit), one of the conferees, said he's been communicating with others in negotiations via text message since the wee hours of the morning. Thomas, who sponsored the charter school expansion part of the package, said he "thought things were wrapped up," but there's uncertainty on the House side.
When asked if he felt caught in the middle between the House Democrats and Senate Republicans, Thomas told MIRS, "I'm still a Democrat."
Melton acknowledged that the deal still had to be sold to his caucus, but he expressed optimism that this wouldn't be a repeat of tough budget votes on K-12 or General Government that initially failed.
"I think members will be comfortable with where we're at and it will fly through with a bipartisan vote," he said.
Here is the latest from the legislative news service MIRS
Here's the good news. The Legislative Service Bureau (LSB) is drafting the Race To The Top (RTTT) education reform bills that reflect the compromise negotiators reached at 4 a.m. this morning and conferees are already fly-specking parts of the drafts.
"We want to make sure that the intent of what we did is in the language," said Rep. Tim MELTON (D-Pontiac), chair of two of the four conference committees scheduled today.
But here's the bad news. It looks like it's shaping up to be another late night. Although the Senate and House are due in at 1:30 p.m., sources in both chambers said not to expect any action with House members being informed the attendance board will be kept open until 3:30 p.m.
It's rumored that LSB will be done printing around 4 p.m. Assuming there are no major hang-ups in reviewing the bills, conference committees will meet afterward. The reports are expected to have the votes in conference and then both chambers will need to caucus.
That means that floor votes probably won't start until this evening.
Sources say the agreement reached at 4 a.m., as broken by MIRS (See "Deal Reached On Race To The Top," 12/17/09) is still fragile. There were still talks this morning and a Senate GOP source still referred to it as the "framework" for an agreement.
Sen. Buzz THOMAS (D-Detroit), one of the conferees, said he's been communicating with others in negotiations via text message since the wee hours of the morning. Thomas, who sponsored the charter school expansion part of the package, said he "thought things were wrapped up," but there's uncertainty on the House side.
When asked if he felt caught in the middle between the House Democrats and Senate Republicans, Thomas told MIRS, "I'm still a Democrat."
Melton acknowledged that the deal still had to be sold to his caucus, but he expressed optimism that this wouldn't be a repeat of tough budget votes on K-12 or General Government that initially failed.
"I think members will be comfortable with where we're at and it will fly through with a bipartisan vote," he said.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Late nights at the Capitol, part 2
We just got word that the RTTT conference committee is going to meet again Friday at 12:01 AM. Yep, that's right, 1 minute after midnight. It seems like there has been serious disagreement between the Senate (Sen Kuipers) and the House (Rep. Melton) regarding charter schools expansion. Within the charter school issue, Sen. Kuipers would like to add 100 charter schools and change the requirements to allow more charters to open.
Cyber schools, tenure, and school reform are also still being discussed. Lots of people are trying to get presents under this education christmas tree.
Keep contacting your legislator through email, phone, text, FB, twitter or any other way that you communicate with your rep and senator. Remind them to read each bill. Even though it will be early Friday morning, they need to know what is in the bills that they will be voting on.
Cyber schools, tenure, and school reform are also still being discussed. Lots of people are trying to get presents under this education christmas tree.
Keep contacting your legislator through email, phone, text, FB, twitter or any other way that you communicate with your rep and senator. Remind them to read each bill. Even though it will be early Friday morning, they need to know what is in the bills that they will be voting on.
RTTT, cell phones, and the like
The latest from the legislative news agency MIRS...
Rep. Tim MELTON (D-Auburn Hills) said this morning that negotiations are currently stalled after Senate Republicans walked out of the room last night having tried to interject new issues into the negotiations. "I'm still at the table, as far as they know I'm still in the room waiting to negotiate," Melton said. "I didn't storm out of the room, they did." When asked specifically what the problem was, Melton said "they're going above and beyond what their own chamber passed. Stuff that may be a wish-list for them but has nothing to do with Race to the Top."Melton said the Senate came in and demanded 100 new charters without any accountability measures.House Democrats have slated a press conference for 12:30 p.m. today accusing Senate Republicans of "abandoning" negotiations on RTTT. Senate Republicans put the blame on Melton. When asked this morning where negotiations were at, Conference Committee Chair Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) replied, "Nowhere." Melton was also asked about a letter of intent that the administration should have filed indicating Michigan's interest in the RTTT process. Talk in the Senate was that that letter of intent was never filed, raising questions about the desire on the part of Gov. Jennifer GRANHOLM to participate.Melton told MIRS the intent letter is a voluntary thing that doesn't impact the state's application calling the raising of the intent letter a "diversion tactic" on the part of Senate Republicans.Granholm spokeswoman Liz BOYD told MIRS the Governor did submit the letter this week and received confirmation from the Barack OBAMA administration that it was received on time. The letter just has not been posted on a federal web site yet, which may account for the confusion from senators.
And it continues...
During a 12:30 p.m. press conference the House Democratic caucus aimed at putting pressure on the Senate Republicans to resume negotiations over legislation that would allow the state to compete for between $400 and $600 million in Race To The Top (RTTT) funds. Prior to the press conference the Senate was threatening to adjourn for the year. Laying out much of the argument that House Education Committee Chair Tim MELTON (D-Auburn Hills) made this morning, House Speaker Andy DILLON (D-Redford Twp.) said the House will remain until the end of the year if necessary.
Following comments by Melton and Dillon, a reporter asked if any of the House Democrats had walked over to talk to Senators, Melton said no. He argued there's a protocol to follow and that the people that leave the table should be the ones to call for talks to resume. Asked if a cell phone call had been made, Dillon asked for a cell phone and a few minutes later in front of the media dialed up lead Senate negotiator Sen. Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) and asked him toreturn to the table. Kuipers apparently asked to meet with the Speaker first before resuming talks with Melton and Dillon invited him to his office.However, as of 12:55 p.m., Kuipers was still on the Senate floor.Senate Republicans put the blame on Melton, accusing Democrats of not really supporting the RTTP legislation. There were big problems with the House adding items not related to RTTP requirements, like starting the school year before Labor Day.
Senate GOP spokesman Matt MARSDEN said in response to Melton's assertion that the House would stay until the Dec. 31 that the Senate still plans to adjourn for the year today. Look for more breaking news on today's session in the coming hours from MIRS.
Rep. Tim MELTON (D-Auburn Hills) said this morning that negotiations are currently stalled after Senate Republicans walked out of the room last night having tried to interject new issues into the negotiations. "I'm still at the table, as far as they know I'm still in the room waiting to negotiate," Melton said. "I didn't storm out of the room, they did." When asked specifically what the problem was, Melton said "they're going above and beyond what their own chamber passed. Stuff that may be a wish-list for them but has nothing to do with Race to the Top."Melton said the Senate came in and demanded 100 new charters without any accountability measures.House Democrats have slated a press conference for 12:30 p.m. today accusing Senate Republicans of "abandoning" negotiations on RTTT. Senate Republicans put the blame on Melton. When asked this morning where negotiations were at, Conference Committee Chair Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) replied, "Nowhere." Melton was also asked about a letter of intent that the administration should have filed indicating Michigan's interest in the RTTT process. Talk in the Senate was that that letter of intent was never filed, raising questions about the desire on the part of Gov. Jennifer GRANHOLM to participate.Melton told MIRS the intent letter is a voluntary thing that doesn't impact the state's application calling the raising of the intent letter a "diversion tactic" on the part of Senate Republicans.Granholm spokeswoman Liz BOYD told MIRS the Governor did submit the letter this week and received confirmation from the Barack OBAMA administration that it was received on time. The letter just has not been posted on a federal web site yet, which may account for the confusion from senators.
And it continues...
During a 12:30 p.m. press conference the House Democratic caucus aimed at putting pressure on the Senate Republicans to resume negotiations over legislation that would allow the state to compete for between $400 and $600 million in Race To The Top (RTTT) funds. Prior to the press conference the Senate was threatening to adjourn for the year. Laying out much of the argument that House Education Committee Chair Tim MELTON (D-Auburn Hills) made this morning, House Speaker Andy DILLON (D-Redford Twp.) said the House will remain until the end of the year if necessary.
Following comments by Melton and Dillon, a reporter asked if any of the House Democrats had walked over to talk to Senators, Melton said no. He argued there's a protocol to follow and that the people that leave the table should be the ones to call for talks to resume. Asked if a cell phone call had been made, Dillon asked for a cell phone and a few minutes later in front of the media dialed up lead Senate negotiator Sen. Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) and asked him toreturn to the table. Kuipers apparently asked to meet with the Speaker first before resuming talks with Melton and Dillon invited him to his office.However, as of 12:55 p.m., Kuipers was still on the Senate floor.Senate Republicans put the blame on Melton, accusing Democrats of not really supporting the RTTP legislation. There were big problems with the House adding items not related to RTTP requirements, like starting the school year before Labor Day.
Senate GOP spokesman Matt MARSDEN said in response to Melton's assertion that the House would stay until the Dec. 31 that the Senate still plans to adjourn for the year today. Look for more breaking news on today's session in the coming hours from MIRS.
Help MEA launch "reading program" for legislators
Encourage leaders in Lansing to READ bills BEFORE they VOTE on them
Reading is fundamental – especially for legislators.
That’s why, today, MEA is launching a new “reading program” for our elected leaders in Lansing. Just as it’s critical for our students to read their assignments before taking a test, our state representatives and senators must READ any bills on school reform before they VOTE on them.
With the federal Race to the Top deadline looming, negotiations in Lansing around RTTT-related legislation will stretch well into the evening hours. These various House- and Senate-approved bills are in conference committee where six legislators will have significant influence over any compromise. They are Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom (R-Muskegon), Sen. Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit), Rep. Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills), Rep. Doug Geiss (D-Taylor), and Rep. Phillip Pavlov (R-St. Clair).
In these kind of last-minute negotiations, it’s common for legislators outside the conference committee to not have the opportunity to fully read compromise bills before voting.
But with our students’ futures at stake, it is essential that our leaders in Lansing do the responsible thing, read whatever bills come before them, and carefully consider the reforms they are enacting. The details of these reforms are critical – they will impact the education that students receive for years to come.
Critical areas for them to look for and oppose include:
Reading is fundamental – especially for legislators.
That’s why, today, MEA is launching a new “reading program” for our elected leaders in Lansing. Just as it’s critical for our students to read their assignments before taking a test, our state representatives and senators must READ any bills on school reform before they VOTE on them.
With the federal Race to the Top deadline looming, negotiations in Lansing around RTTT-related legislation will stretch well into the evening hours. These various House- and Senate-approved bills are in conference committee where six legislators will have significant influence over any compromise. They are Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom (R-Muskegon), Sen. Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit), Rep. Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills), Rep. Doug Geiss (D-Taylor), and Rep. Phillip Pavlov (R-St. Clair).
In these kind of last-minute negotiations, it’s common for legislators outside the conference committee to not have the opportunity to fully read compromise bills before voting.
But with our students’ futures at stake, it is essential that our leaders in Lansing do the responsible thing, read whatever bills come before them, and carefully consider the reforms they are enacting. The details of these reforms are critical – they will impact the education that students receive for years to come.
Critical areas for them to look for and oppose include:
- School reform that narrowly focuses on instituting building level reforms without addressing dysfunctional bureaucracies.
- Expansion of charter schools without proper oversight, transparency and accountability, as well as unregulated cyberschools or other new school models that don’t ensure a high-quality education for students.
- The elimination of teacher tenure and other assaults on school employee rights that ensure good working environments for employees – and good learning environments for students.
Act now! E-mail and call your state representative and senator today (leave a voicemail if no one is available to take your call in person). If one of your legislators is on the conference committee, urge them to consider these issues in finalizing compromise bills. If your elected officials aren’t on the committee, share your concerns and ask that they consider them as they make their decisions in the coming days.
But above all, insist that all our leaders in Lansing take the time to READ this significant legislation BEFORE they cast a final VOTE.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Race To The Top conferees named
“Race to the Top” Legislation Sent to Conference Committee
The package of bills referred to as “Race to the Top” is now in conference committee. The bills include SB 926 and SB 981.
Senate Bill 926 (S-5) would amend the State School Aid Act to require the Center for Educational Performance and Information, in cooperation with the Department of Education, to create and implement a teacher identifier system with the ability to match an individual teacher to pupils whom the teacher taught.
Senate Bill 981 amends the Revised School Code to allow for restructuring of failing schools. This bill became an ominous bill with several issues added on the House floor, including Charter School expansion. MEA lobbyists are currently analyzing the bill to determine MEA positions as the two bills go to Conference Committee.
With the bills being in conference committee it is necessary for MEA to work with both chambers in order to get to a place that makes Michigan competitive for the federal dollars.
Senate Names Conferees
Senate Majority Leader named the following to serve on the Conference Committee to negotiate the differences in the “Race to the Top” bills. Conferees include Senators Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), Gerald Van Woerkom (R-Muskegon) and Samuel Thomas (D-Detroit).
House Names Conferees
House Speaker named the following to serve on the Conference Committee to negotiate the differences in the "Race To The Top" bills. Conferees include Representatives Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills), Douglass Geiss (D-Taylor), and Phillip Pavlov (R-St. Clair).
The package of bills referred to as “Race to the Top” is now in conference committee. The bills include SB 926 and SB 981.
Senate Bill 926 (S-5) would amend the State School Aid Act to require the Center for Educational Performance and Information, in cooperation with the Department of Education, to create and implement a teacher identifier system with the ability to match an individual teacher to pupils whom the teacher taught.
Senate Bill 981 amends the Revised School Code to allow for restructuring of failing schools. This bill became an ominous bill with several issues added on the House floor, including Charter School expansion. MEA lobbyists are currently analyzing the bill to determine MEA positions as the two bills go to Conference Committee.
With the bills being in conference committee it is necessary for MEA to work with both chambers in order to get to a place that makes Michigan competitive for the federal dollars.
Senate Names Conferees
Senate Majority Leader named the following to serve on the Conference Committee to negotiate the differences in the “Race to the Top” bills. Conferees include Senators Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), Gerald Van Woerkom (R-Muskegon) and Samuel Thomas (D-Detroit).
House Names Conferees
House Speaker named the following to serve on the Conference Committee to negotiate the differences in the "Race To The Top" bills. Conferees include Representatives Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills), Douglass Geiss (D-Taylor), and Phillip Pavlov (R-St. Clair).
Monday, December 7, 2009
Will reforms help Michigan win Race To The Top funds?
One analysis of the many reforms states that current legislation under consideration at the Capitol will have little affect on winning the funds available under the Secretary Duncan's Race To The Top program.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Senator Cropsey speaks about funding for schools
Ok, term limits will be good because we will get a chance to replace Senator Cropsey with someone who may be willing to work on problems rather than posture for the media.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Keeping money going to programs
Thanks to Jon Toppen from the KCEA office for passing on this article regarding funding of school programs.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Governor urges targeted tax increase
The Governor was in Saginaw Township yesterday meeting with school officials. Read what tax increases she would like to see to help offset some of the cuts to the school aid fund.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Education issues dominate news at the Capitol
News of the Day
Governor Holds Round Table Discussions on Budget
Governor Granholm visited West Michigan last Friday to meet with superintendents, school board members and school staff looking for solutions to the education funding crisis.
The Governor met with members of the school communities in the Muskegon and Kent ISDs encouraging them to support her ideas for a short-term fix and long-term changes to how schools are funded. As she sees it, tax reform is key to avoiding any further budget dramas like we’re seeing now.
After the Governor explained the state’s financial crisis and her reasons for cutting an additional $127 from state aid, on top of the $165 already cut, she heard the impact the cuts will have on education—in addition to the budget slashing schools have already endured.
She heard of the potential elimination of 600 jobs in Kent County and 225 teaching jobs in Ottawa County. Kent City has already eliminated guidance counselors and day custodians. In Whitehall, this new round of cuts could mean cutting programs in fine arts and eliminating athletics and extra-curricular. The message was clear—schools are no longer cutting the number of programs—they’re cutting education quality.
John Mierz, a Whitehall teacher and MEA member, was invited to participate in the discussion. He told the Governor that it’s impossible for districts and staff to do any long-term planning when there’s such funding uncertainty.
Arch Lewis, MEA Research Consultant and a participant in the discussion agreed. “We need a long-term systemic. It’s obvious Prop A isn’t working. We need to get money to schools that will be a permanent revenue source.”
For the short term, the Legislature has 30 days to implement immediate solutions like freezing schedule increases in personal tax exemptions, or having special interest groups pay a percentage of their tax exemptions as a way of closing tax loopholes.
The Governor ended both discussions with the same challenge. “We have to mobilize like we’ve never mobilized before and fix this problem. Contact your legislator and tell them to vote for the needs of public education. Kids only have this moment. The Legislature must be convinced. Are you willing to help me?”
Emergency meetings deal with school funding crisis
In an emergency meeting on Monday, the State Board of Education urged the Governor and the Legislature to immediately find money to reduce the cuts in school funding. Meanwhile, the governor held another round-table discussion in Rochester.
Local MEA leaders and staff attended the meeting. They supplied stories about the cuts in their local districts and its effect on the classroom and students. Oakland County superintendents spoke of cost cutting measures they have been making over the past several years.
Sen. Mike Bishop (R) Rochester, Rep. Tom McMillin (R) Rochester Hills, and Rep. Kim Meltzer (R) Clinton Township were in attendance at the meeting.
Leon Drolet, former State Representative, organized a group of anti-tax proponents to demonstrate outside the Rochester Public Schools Administration building during the roundtable discussion. He had his huge pink pig parked in the parking lot to denote pork barrel spending.
At the urging of the Governor, contact your legislator today. Phone, email, or text legislators and tell them we must save public education. Urge them to look for revenue by reforming our antiquated tax structure and fixing our broken school funding system. For our economic survival, education must be a priority.
Dillon Health Care Plan – Prescription for Disaster
Hearing on 5345 Continues
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2009, in Room 351 of the Capitol for 2 p.m. or after session, whichever is later.
Testifying on behalf the MEA will be Lori Spotts, President of the Tecumseh EA and Superintendent Mike Shibler, Rockford Public Schools.
Governor Holds Round Table Discussions on Budget
Governor Granholm visited West Michigan last Friday to meet with superintendents, school board members and school staff looking for solutions to the education funding crisis.
The Governor met with members of the school communities in the Muskegon and Kent ISDs encouraging them to support her ideas for a short-term fix and long-term changes to how schools are funded. As she sees it, tax reform is key to avoiding any further budget dramas like we’re seeing now.
After the Governor explained the state’s financial crisis and her reasons for cutting an additional $127 from state aid, on top of the $165 already cut, she heard the impact the cuts will have on education—in addition to the budget slashing schools have already endured.
She heard of the potential elimination of 600 jobs in Kent County and 225 teaching jobs in Ottawa County. Kent City has already eliminated guidance counselors and day custodians. In Whitehall, this new round of cuts could mean cutting programs in fine arts and eliminating athletics and extra-curricular. The message was clear—schools are no longer cutting the number of programs—they’re cutting education quality.
John Mierz, a Whitehall teacher and MEA member, was invited to participate in the discussion. He told the Governor that it’s impossible for districts and staff to do any long-term planning when there’s such funding uncertainty.
Arch Lewis, MEA Research Consultant and a participant in the discussion agreed. “We need a long-term systemic. It’s obvious Prop A isn’t working. We need to get money to schools that will be a permanent revenue source.”
For the short term, the Legislature has 30 days to implement immediate solutions like freezing schedule increases in personal tax exemptions, or having special interest groups pay a percentage of their tax exemptions as a way of closing tax loopholes.
The Governor ended both discussions with the same challenge. “We have to mobilize like we’ve never mobilized before and fix this problem. Contact your legislator and tell them to vote for the needs of public education. Kids only have this moment. The Legislature must be convinced. Are you willing to help me?”
Emergency meetings deal with school funding crisis
In an emergency meeting on Monday, the State Board of Education urged the Governor and the Legislature to immediately find money to reduce the cuts in school funding. Meanwhile, the governor held another round-table discussion in Rochester.
Local MEA leaders and staff attended the meeting. They supplied stories about the cuts in their local districts and its effect on the classroom and students. Oakland County superintendents spoke of cost cutting measures they have been making over the past several years.
Sen. Mike Bishop (R) Rochester, Rep. Tom McMillin (R) Rochester Hills, and Rep. Kim Meltzer (R) Clinton Township were in attendance at the meeting.
Leon Drolet, former State Representative, organized a group of anti-tax proponents to demonstrate outside the Rochester Public Schools Administration building during the roundtable discussion. He had his huge pink pig parked in the parking lot to denote pork barrel spending.
At the urging of the Governor, contact your legislator today. Phone, email, or text legislators and tell them we must save public education. Urge them to look for revenue by reforming our antiquated tax structure and fixing our broken school funding system. For our economic survival, education must be a priority.
Dillon Health Care Plan – Prescription for Disaster
Hearing on 5345 Continues
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2009, in Room 351 of the Capitol for 2 p.m. or after session, whichever is later.
Testifying on behalf the MEA will be Lori Spotts, President of the Tecumseh EA and Superintendent Mike Shibler, Rockford Public Schools.
Friday, October 23, 2009
The games continue and Education suffers
Here is the latest Capitol Chaos regarding the further cuts to education that Governor Granholm released yesterday. It is critical that you contact your legislators and demand that they find a way to fund public education. Find your legislator's contact information here.
News of the Day
Additional cuts proposed by the Governor
Late this afternoon, Gov. Granholm announced in a news conference a proration cut of $127 per-pupil for this year. The cut is based on revenue estimates for the School Aid Fund (SAF) by the Department of Treasury.
This cut is in addition to the $165 per-student reduction in the K-12 Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget that Granholm signed Monday.
Current law requires that the Treasurer notify the Governor if the actual revenue collections are less than the estimated revenue on which the budget is based. In that case, the Governor is required to notify the Legislature that payments to school districts will be reduced on a per pupil basis in 30 days unless the Legislature adopts a solution to the revenue shortfall.
The Governor’s action simply underscores the huge budget deficit faced by Michigan that results from the billions of dollars of permanent, special interest tax cuts enacted when the economy was booming. These cuts are now exacerbating the effects of the economic downturn. Unless the legislature comes up with a fix to this structural deficit, the Governor has no choice but to reduce funding to schools and other units of government.
Schools are feeling the effects of the economic squeeze. Sales tax revenue, which continues to come in below projections, are a major source of school funding. About 70% of funding for the state’s 552 school districts and 232 public school academies comes from the state in the form of sales and property tax collections with a smaller amount from the state’s general fund.
The minimum state grant to schools would drop from $7,316 per pupil last fiscal year to $7,144. Spending per pupil would range from $77,144 to $12,271. Such cuts are difficult for schools to address, as they are already one-third of the way through their fiscal year.
The Governor is holding school funding meetings around the state
Governor Granholm is going around the state setting up meetings with the school community to generate support/pressure on the legislature to come up with more revenue and funding for schools. MEA staff and members, along with school administrators, school board members and parents, have been invited to participate in the discussion with the Governor. The meetings are being followed by press conferences.
A meeting was held in Livingston County yesterday and meetings are scheduled in Muskegon and Kent Counties tomorrow.
Dillon Health Care Plan – Prescription for Disaster
Hearing on 5345 Continues
Cindy Nayer, President and CEO of the Center for Health Value Innovation, testified that access and affordability of care for chronic diseases, prevention wellness and mental health is the core for insurance design needed to provide a healthy workforce for Michigan.
Dr. Mark Frederick, Co-Director of the Center for Value Based Insurance Design with the University of Michigan, contends that the question the committee should respond to is “how to restore health to health care on limited resources?” He also stated that the cost going in such direction may not be less, but there would be a greater return on the investment of good health.
Keith Bruhnsen, Assistant Director of Benefits & Manager of the Prescription Drug Program at the University of Michigan, testified to the pooling of the prescription program at the University, which is a self-insured, self-administered program. As to savings, he stated that it depends on the plan design.
Dan Gilmartin, Executive Director & CEO, and Samantha Jones Harkins, Legislative Associate for the Michigan Municipal League, offered a neutral position on HB 55345. They questioned the cost savings within the bill without cutting benefits.
The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2009. MEA is scheduled to provide testimony.
News of the Day
Additional cuts proposed by the Governor
Late this afternoon, Gov. Granholm announced in a news conference a proration cut of $127 per-pupil for this year. The cut is based on revenue estimates for the School Aid Fund (SAF) by the Department of Treasury.
This cut is in addition to the $165 per-student reduction in the K-12 Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget that Granholm signed Monday.
Current law requires that the Treasurer notify the Governor if the actual revenue collections are less than the estimated revenue on which the budget is based. In that case, the Governor is required to notify the Legislature that payments to school districts will be reduced on a per pupil basis in 30 days unless the Legislature adopts a solution to the revenue shortfall.
The Governor’s action simply underscores the huge budget deficit faced by Michigan that results from the billions of dollars of permanent, special interest tax cuts enacted when the economy was booming. These cuts are now exacerbating the effects of the economic downturn. Unless the legislature comes up with a fix to this structural deficit, the Governor has no choice but to reduce funding to schools and other units of government.
Schools are feeling the effects of the economic squeeze. Sales tax revenue, which continues to come in below projections, are a major source of school funding. About 70% of funding for the state’s 552 school districts and 232 public school academies comes from the state in the form of sales and property tax collections with a smaller amount from the state’s general fund.
The minimum state grant to schools would drop from $7,316 per pupil last fiscal year to $7,144. Spending per pupil would range from $77,144 to $12,271. Such cuts are difficult for schools to address, as they are already one-third of the way through their fiscal year.
The Governor is holding school funding meetings around the state
Governor Granholm is going around the state setting up meetings with the school community to generate support/pressure on the legislature to come up with more revenue and funding for schools. MEA staff and members, along with school administrators, school board members and parents, have been invited to participate in the discussion with the Governor. The meetings are being followed by press conferences.
A meeting was held in Livingston County yesterday and meetings are scheduled in Muskegon and Kent Counties tomorrow.
Dillon Health Care Plan – Prescription for Disaster
Hearing on 5345 Continues
Cindy Nayer, President and CEO of the Center for Health Value Innovation, testified that access and affordability of care for chronic diseases, prevention wellness and mental health is the core for insurance design needed to provide a healthy workforce for Michigan.
Dr. Mark Frederick, Co-Director of the Center for Value Based Insurance Design with the University of Michigan, contends that the question the committee should respond to is “how to restore health to health care on limited resources?” He also stated that the cost going in such direction may not be less, but there would be a greater return on the investment of good health.
Keith Bruhnsen, Assistant Director of Benefits & Manager of the Prescription Drug Program at the University of Michigan, testified to the pooling of the prescription program at the University, which is a self-insured, self-administered program. As to savings, he stated that it depends on the plan design.
Dan Gilmartin, Executive Director & CEO, and Samantha Jones Harkins, Legislative Associate for the Michigan Municipal League, offered a neutral position on HB 55345. They questioned the cost savings within the bill without cutting benefits.
The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2009. MEA is scheduled to provide testimony.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Capitol Chaos, October 12 edition
News of the day
K-12 Budget received with mixed reactions
Reactions by school officials were happy to have a final 2009-10 budget but angry that the cut was larger than they had been led to expect when schools developed their budget in June.
The House presented the Governor with the K-12 budget (HB 4447) Friday afternoon and she signed the bill today.
Due to the $165 per pupil cut, as many as 100 school districts are expected to be in deficit spending for the current fiscal year. However, once the governor signs the bill, schools will be ensured no interruptions in their state and federal aid payments. School aid payments will be smaller and schools will have to make adjustments.
There is concern that this budget isn’t really balanced, since the revenues proposed by the Senate to reduce the per-pupil cut from $218 to $165 haven’t been passed. It has been pointed out that $20 million in the General Government budget from license plate fees likely won’t be there.
The Senate package is designed to provide an additional $71 million in revenue and phase out the Michigan business Tax (MBT) surcharge. The Senate voted to freeze the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) at 10 percent, cut film credits, cap Brownfield credits and put an 18-month residency requirement on anyone claiming the EITC.
Meanwhile the House revenue plan is to generate an additional $400 million to cover its budget priorities – libraries, Medicaid, revenue sharing, the Michigan Promise and K-12 schools. So far three of the six proposed revenue bills have passed the house – a 3 percent physician’s tax or Quality Assurance Assessment Program (QAAP), a measure freezing the personal exemption allowed in the state’s income tax to last year’s levels and a shell bill that allowed doctors to write off their new QAAP tax as an MBT write-off.
This leaves an interesting end game for a compromise on enough revenue to cover the shortfall in K-12.
It’s time to stop corporate greed!
Business tax breaks cost Detroit about $15 million last year
The Detroit news reported Saturday that city-issued breaks cost Detroit about $15 million last year. The tax abatements were aimed to keep or add 25,000 workers, but about 7,500 were laid off.
This city cut taxes on $2.7 billion in investments over the past decade to businesses that failed to follow through on job promises. The question remains, do tax credits/abatements improve the economy of the cities and state or only the economy of the corporations?
Dillon Health Care Plan – Prescription for Disaster
Public Hearings on HB 5345 scheduled through November
A hearing on HB 5345 is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2008, at 2 p.m. or after session, whichever is later.
Hearings are also scheduled for October 22, 29, and November 5th.
State Employee Health Premiums Increasing
According to a 2009 survey completed by the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL), state employee health premiums are on the increase.
There is a wide variation on cost-sharing among the 50 states. Most states are opting for lower-cost widely-available policy options. The national average for state employee health plans is envisioned as the benchmark for public employee benefits under the Dillon plan.
The national average that the Dillon Plan puts forth is a full family premium of $870 and a single premium of $437. If the Dillon plan is enacted Michigan employees would take a big loss in benefits. The average employee premium share is 8% for single coverage and 18% for full family.
K-12 Budget received with mixed reactions
Reactions by school officials were happy to have a final 2009-10 budget but angry that the cut was larger than they had been led to expect when schools developed their budget in June.
The House presented the Governor with the K-12 budget (HB 4447) Friday afternoon and she signed the bill today.
Due to the $165 per pupil cut, as many as 100 school districts are expected to be in deficit spending for the current fiscal year. However, once the governor signs the bill, schools will be ensured no interruptions in their state and federal aid payments. School aid payments will be smaller and schools will have to make adjustments.
There is concern that this budget isn’t really balanced, since the revenues proposed by the Senate to reduce the per-pupil cut from $218 to $165 haven’t been passed. It has been pointed out that $20 million in the General Government budget from license plate fees likely won’t be there.
The Senate package is designed to provide an additional $71 million in revenue and phase out the Michigan business Tax (MBT) surcharge. The Senate voted to freeze the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) at 10 percent, cut film credits, cap Brownfield credits and put an 18-month residency requirement on anyone claiming the EITC.
Meanwhile the House revenue plan is to generate an additional $400 million to cover its budget priorities – libraries, Medicaid, revenue sharing, the Michigan Promise and K-12 schools. So far three of the six proposed revenue bills have passed the house – a 3 percent physician’s tax or Quality Assurance Assessment Program (QAAP), a measure freezing the personal exemption allowed in the state’s income tax to last year’s levels and a shell bill that allowed doctors to write off their new QAAP tax as an MBT write-off.
This leaves an interesting end game for a compromise on enough revenue to cover the shortfall in K-12.
It’s time to stop corporate greed!
Business tax breaks cost Detroit about $15 million last year
The Detroit news reported Saturday that city-issued breaks cost Detroit about $15 million last year. The tax abatements were aimed to keep or add 25,000 workers, but about 7,500 were laid off.
This city cut taxes on $2.7 billion in investments over the past decade to businesses that failed to follow through on job promises. The question remains, do tax credits/abatements improve the economy of the cities and state or only the economy of the corporations?
Dillon Health Care Plan – Prescription for Disaster
Public Hearings on HB 5345 scheduled through November
A hearing on HB 5345 is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2008, at 2 p.m. or after session, whichever is later.
Hearings are also scheduled for October 22, 29, and November 5th.
State Employee Health Premiums Increasing
According to a 2009 survey completed by the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL), state employee health premiums are on the increase.
There is a wide variation on cost-sharing among the 50 states. Most states are opting for lower-cost widely-available policy options. The national average for state employee health plans is envisioned as the benchmark for public employee benefits under the Dillon plan.
The national average that the Dillon Plan puts forth is a full family premium of $870 and a single premium of $437. If the Dillon plan is enacted Michigan employees would take a big loss in benefits. The average employee premium share is 8% for single coverage and 18% for full family.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Senator Whitmer's speech on our students
I posted the transcript of the speech last week, now watch it here
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Monday's Capitol Chaos
K-12 Budget impasse halts federal funds
School districts were sent a letter last Friday notifying them that until the Legislature and Gov. Granholm enact a continuation budget or a full-year budget, the state can no longer disburse federal funds.
The affected federally funded programs include: Title I; Special Education; School Lunch Program; Adult and Child Care Food Program; Career and Technical Education; Educational Technology; Improving Teacher Quality; Charter School Funds; Even Start; Migrant Education; Comprehensive School Reform; and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (After School Programs).
School districts and private organizations that operate federal programs normally are reimbursed their federal funds on a weekly basis, according to the Department of Education. Over a normal two-week period, the department processes about $43 million in payments.
The House and Senate have not reached agreement on how much money to put into a continuation agreement.
It’s time to stop corporate greed!
For the past two decades state government has passed through legislation approximately $5 billion/year in tax cuts. Such cuts were designed to stimulate our economy, bring in new industries to replace the dying auto industry, and be the ultimate in job creation.
History has proven this theory wrong as tax incentives have been provided with a modest number of businesses establishing themselves in Michigan, but with little job creation.
These corporate executives, led by David Branden and Doug Rothwell, are loudly proclaiming that if, the state would completely eliminate their tax burden, in addition to the roughly $2 million a year that have already been eliminated, the state will see economic growth, job creation and a stable state budget.
It is time for the legislature to balance the tax burden—not just on the backs of workers—but also on corporations. Without a balanced approach, Michigan can’t provide a sound public infrastructure, including public education and a place for businesses to develop and grow.
Without a balanced approach, public education suffers and businesses will leave the state. Michigan will continue to experience economic decline and job loss.
Urge Senate to Support Public Option and Oppose Taxation in Health Insurance Reform
This past week the Senate Finance Committee rejected amendments that would add a public option to the health insurance reform proposal under consideration in that committee. The proposal continues to include provisions that would tax insurance companies for plans over a certain value. Once the Finance Committee completes work on its bill, that proposal will be melded with one passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier this year, which includes a public option and no taxation of benefits.
NEA believes that health reform should guarantee a choice of plans and providers through a private health insurance plan, including one that an employee may currently have through his or her employer, and a public health insurance plan option. The public health insurance option will compete with the private insurance industry in terms of cost and quality. This choice is a fundamental feature of an American solution for health reform and another critical piece of cost control.
NEA opposes any tax on health benefits, including a tax on insurance companies, which would be passed off to consumers in the form of higher premiums. Many public education employees have traded salary increases for the long-term security of a comprehensive health plan. Telling them benefits will be cut or that they will pay more taxes would unfairly penalize them. In addition, such a tax would place the burden more heavily on some workers than others. Coverage is more expensive for employers whose workforces are older or female-dominated such as education.
Take Action: Tell the Senate to Include a Public Option and Oppose Taxation of Benefits in Health Insurance Reform Legislation.
Learn more about NEA’s position on health care.Read more about health insurance reform myths vs. facts.
Public Hearings on HB 5345 scheduled through November
It was reported that the hearing scheduled for this Thursday would be canceled due to budget discussions taking place all week. However, more than 30 citizens and organizations have requested the opportunity to testify on the legislation. Thus, hearings dates are being scheduled through November so that everyone has a chance to tell his/her story.
School districts were sent a letter last Friday notifying them that until the Legislature and Gov. Granholm enact a continuation budget or a full-year budget, the state can no longer disburse federal funds.
The affected federally funded programs include: Title I; Special Education; School Lunch Program; Adult and Child Care Food Program; Career and Technical Education; Educational Technology; Improving Teacher Quality; Charter School Funds; Even Start; Migrant Education; Comprehensive School Reform; and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (After School Programs).
School districts and private organizations that operate federal programs normally are reimbursed their federal funds on a weekly basis, according to the Department of Education. Over a normal two-week period, the department processes about $43 million in payments.
The House and Senate have not reached agreement on how much money to put into a continuation agreement.
It’s time to stop corporate greed!
For the past two decades state government has passed through legislation approximately $5 billion/year in tax cuts. Such cuts were designed to stimulate our economy, bring in new industries to replace the dying auto industry, and be the ultimate in job creation.
History has proven this theory wrong as tax incentives have been provided with a modest number of businesses establishing themselves in Michigan, but with little job creation.
These corporate executives, led by David Branden and Doug Rothwell, are loudly proclaiming that if, the state would completely eliminate their tax burden, in addition to the roughly $2 million a year that have already been eliminated, the state will see economic growth, job creation and a stable state budget.
It is time for the legislature to balance the tax burden—not just on the backs of workers—but also on corporations. Without a balanced approach, Michigan can’t provide a sound public infrastructure, including public education and a place for businesses to develop and grow.
Without a balanced approach, public education suffers and businesses will leave the state. Michigan will continue to experience economic decline and job loss.
Urge Senate to Support Public Option and Oppose Taxation in Health Insurance Reform
This past week the Senate Finance Committee rejected amendments that would add a public option to the health insurance reform proposal under consideration in that committee. The proposal continues to include provisions that would tax insurance companies for plans over a certain value. Once the Finance Committee completes work on its bill, that proposal will be melded with one passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier this year, which includes a public option and no taxation of benefits.
NEA believes that health reform should guarantee a choice of plans and providers through a private health insurance plan, including one that an employee may currently have through his or her employer, and a public health insurance plan option. The public health insurance option will compete with the private insurance industry in terms of cost and quality. This choice is a fundamental feature of an American solution for health reform and another critical piece of cost control.
NEA opposes any tax on health benefits, including a tax on insurance companies, which would be passed off to consumers in the form of higher premiums. Many public education employees have traded salary increases for the long-term security of a comprehensive health plan. Telling them benefits will be cut or that they will pay more taxes would unfairly penalize them. In addition, such a tax would place the burden more heavily on some workers than others. Coverage is more expensive for employers whose workforces are older or female-dominated such as education.
Take Action: Tell the Senate to Include a Public Option and Oppose Taxation of Benefits in Health Insurance Reform Legislation.
Learn more about NEA’s position on health care.Read more about health insurance reform myths vs. facts.
Public Hearings on HB 5345 scheduled through November
It was reported that the hearing scheduled for this Thursday would be canceled due to budget discussions taking place all week. However, more than 30 citizens and organizations have requested the opportunity to testify on the legislation. Thus, hearings dates are being scheduled through November so that everyone has a chance to tell his/her story.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The fight for schools continues
After a very long legislative day yesterday, we are still in a fight for our schools. The House rejected the conference committee report that would have reduced the foundation allowance by $218 per student. The Senate Republicans remain determined to slash funding and future opportunities for our students.
There were a couple of interesting moments yesterday. First, there was a call of the House, which had the intentions of keeping the House members from communicating face to face with constituents and members. However, this did not slow the efforts of MEA, especially Erv and myself. Erv and I were able to communicate with Reps Huckleberry and Calley via text message and FaceBook. In fact, by doing this, we stayed in constant contact offering words of encouragement to continue fighting for our students and schools.
However, on the Senate side, the Belding and Lansing UniServ offices repeatedly tried to speak with Senator Cropsey about funding for the schools. On every occasion that we requested a meeting outside the chamber, Sen. Cropsey refused. It appears that he was too busy trying to cut funding for our schools. We knew before that Senator Cropsey was no friend of education but this reinforced my belief that he does not care about the future of our students and public education. In this case, thank God for term limits! It is critical that we get someone in this seat that will at least be open to listening to our concerns.
However, one senator stood out. Senator Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) gave an impassioned speech on the Senator floor this morning around 2:00 am. I have inserted the text of the speech below and will post the video of the speech when it is available. Here is a senator that believes that children and public education are our future and exposes the hypocrisy of Senate Republicans when it comes to their ideals and beliefs.
Statement of Senator Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) Opposing Cuts to Schools in the School Aid Temporary Budget Thank you Mr. President, Ever since this hideous conference report came out yesterday I have been agonizing about the 1.6 million children and the families of this state that are going to be hurt by the cuts in this bill. At 2:43 in the morning I finally turned on my light and started writing. You see I come from a family of educators, I am a product of the public schools in East Lansing and in Grand Rapids. My kids are in the East Lansing Public Schools. I believe that education is the great equalizer in our society - - the opportunity for kids to succeed. This past Sunday, I was at my church - - the People’s Church in East Lansing - - and my pastor began the service talking about how when children are around - - adults behave better. I kept the bulliten from which we jointly recited the following: “’Then he put a child among them.’ When we use long words and confusing sentences, put a child among us. When we let the cares of the world drag us down, when the demands of life seem overwhelming, put a child among us. When we are tempted to deceive or to selfishly sway an opinion, put a child among us. When we need love, recognition, or a great big hug, put a child among us. When we need the values of church, family, or community in proportion, put a child among us...” I was raised by 2 public servants - - who taught me many important lessons - - one of which is you’ve gotta get the facts, and two tell the truth, don’t sugarcoat it.
Well here are the facts:
1) The most critical time in a human being’s brain development are in the early years
2) Education is the most important factor in an individual’s ability to succeed in the new economy
3) Businesses of tomorrow need educated work forces
Now here’s the straight talk, where we don’t sugar coat the facts:
1) this budget rips apart the fabric of our education system - - a system I’m willing to bet that every one of you made campaign promises to uphold
2) 200 school districts will be forced into deficit spending - - 218 per pupil
3) ISD funding = another 22 per pupil for a grand total of 240 per pupil - - might as well tell people: plan on keeping your kids home - - your fiction of flexibility is clever but the reality is with less dollars districts will have to spend money on “NEEDS” and not “WANTS” meaning early childhood funding will be gone - - when we need it more than ever.
4) Schools, parents and students will have to be prepared for a 13th year because there will no longer be Credit Recovery.
5) Summer School will be gone.
6) After school programs, gone.
7) These cuts mean fewer bus routes themselves, meaning that that little 5 year old girl will walk farther to catch the bus, and when she gets on it, it won’t have been inspected. School Bus Inspections, gone - - have you checked with your school district what that means to your little constituents?
8) it eliminates early childhood education - - when we need it more than ever Since I know I can’t seem to appeal to you’re the right side of your brain - - or your hearts when I talk about kids - - let’s talk about the bottom line you’re so singularly focused on.
9) Jobs: minimum 12,000 – 14,000 losses. REAL losses - - felt in every community. If a private sector employer told you they’d have to lay off 13,000 employees, you’d be falling over your selves to introduce the bill to save those jobs and here we are slashing them - - and these aren’t just any jobs - - these people are educating our children, our littlest most vulnerable constituents. Can you imagine if it Amway or Domino’s Pizza? Well, job losses are job losses. And job losses of this magnitude will not only hurt our kids, they’ll have the same devastating impact on our communities as job losses in the private sector. 500 less teachers in Kent Co, will mean 23million less in the local economy - - when GRPS have right sized, and done everything right . . . they don’t have 4.2million more.
You like to rail against the MBT ad nauseum - - but how the heck are we to compete with China, India, or even Indiana for that matter when you balance the budget on the backs of our kids? I realize very few of you actually have kids in the schools anymore . . . and you don’t have to look YOUR principal in the eye every day. It almost brings me to tears what you are doing to the kids of our state . . . to think that I can’t you. I know some of you will retort that the schools are “okay” this . . . No they are not. Do they prefer amputation to death, maybe. Who wouldn’t? But this 25% of the school year is over. Their budget year began July 1st. So this is a mid year cut - - a legislative pro-ration. So let me be very clear: none of our schools, none of our 1.6 million kids - - nor their families are “okay” with this. And you shouldn’t be either. I ask that my comments be printed as my NO vote explanation.
There were a couple of interesting moments yesterday. First, there was a call of the House, which had the intentions of keeping the House members from communicating face to face with constituents and members. However, this did not slow the efforts of MEA, especially Erv and myself. Erv and I were able to communicate with Reps Huckleberry and Calley via text message and FaceBook. In fact, by doing this, we stayed in constant contact offering words of encouragement to continue fighting for our students and schools.
However, on the Senate side, the Belding and Lansing UniServ offices repeatedly tried to speak with Senator Cropsey about funding for the schools. On every occasion that we requested a meeting outside the chamber, Sen. Cropsey refused. It appears that he was too busy trying to cut funding for our schools. We knew before that Senator Cropsey was no friend of education but this reinforced my belief that he does not care about the future of our students and public education. In this case, thank God for term limits! It is critical that we get someone in this seat that will at least be open to listening to our concerns.
However, one senator stood out. Senator Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) gave an impassioned speech on the Senator floor this morning around 2:00 am. I have inserted the text of the speech below and will post the video of the speech when it is available. Here is a senator that believes that children and public education are our future and exposes the hypocrisy of Senate Republicans when it comes to their ideals and beliefs.
Statement of Senator Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) Opposing Cuts to Schools in the School Aid Temporary Budget Thank you Mr. President, Ever since this hideous conference report came out yesterday I have been agonizing about the 1.6 million children and the families of this state that are going to be hurt by the cuts in this bill. At 2:43 in the morning I finally turned on my light and started writing. You see I come from a family of educators, I am a product of the public schools in East Lansing and in Grand Rapids. My kids are in the East Lansing Public Schools. I believe that education is the great equalizer in our society - - the opportunity for kids to succeed. This past Sunday, I was at my church - - the People’s Church in East Lansing - - and my pastor began the service talking about how when children are around - - adults behave better. I kept the bulliten from which we jointly recited the following: “’Then he put a child among them.’ When we use long words and confusing sentences, put a child among us. When we let the cares of the world drag us down, when the demands of life seem overwhelming, put a child among us. When we are tempted to deceive or to selfishly sway an opinion, put a child among us. When we need love, recognition, or a great big hug, put a child among us. When we need the values of church, family, or community in proportion, put a child among us...” I was raised by 2 public servants - - who taught me many important lessons - - one of which is you’ve gotta get the facts, and two tell the truth, don’t sugarcoat it.
Well here are the facts:
1) The most critical time in a human being’s brain development are in the early years
2) Education is the most important factor in an individual’s ability to succeed in the new economy
3) Businesses of tomorrow need educated work forces
Now here’s the straight talk, where we don’t sugar coat the facts:
1) this budget rips apart the fabric of our education system - - a system I’m willing to bet that every one of you made campaign promises to uphold
2) 200 school districts will be forced into deficit spending - - 218 per pupil
3) ISD funding = another 22 per pupil for a grand total of 240 per pupil - - might as well tell people: plan on keeping your kids home - - your fiction of flexibility is clever but the reality is with less dollars districts will have to spend money on “NEEDS” and not “WANTS” meaning early childhood funding will be gone - - when we need it more than ever.
4) Schools, parents and students will have to be prepared for a 13th year because there will no longer be Credit Recovery.
5) Summer School will be gone.
6) After school programs, gone.
7) These cuts mean fewer bus routes themselves, meaning that that little 5 year old girl will walk farther to catch the bus, and when she gets on it, it won’t have been inspected. School Bus Inspections, gone - - have you checked with your school district what that means to your little constituents?
8) it eliminates early childhood education - - when we need it more than ever Since I know I can’t seem to appeal to you’re the right side of your brain - - or your hearts when I talk about kids - - let’s talk about the bottom line you’re so singularly focused on.
9) Jobs: minimum 12,000 – 14,000 losses. REAL losses - - felt in every community. If a private sector employer told you they’d have to lay off 13,000 employees, you’d be falling over your selves to introduce the bill to save those jobs and here we are slashing them - - and these aren’t just any jobs - - these people are educating our children, our littlest most vulnerable constituents. Can you imagine if it Amway or Domino’s Pizza? Well, job losses are job losses. And job losses of this magnitude will not only hurt our kids, they’ll have the same devastating impact on our communities as job losses in the private sector. 500 less teachers in Kent Co, will mean 23million less in the local economy - - when GRPS have right sized, and done everything right . . . they don’t have 4.2million more.
You like to rail against the MBT ad nauseum - - but how the heck are we to compete with China, India, or even Indiana for that matter when you balance the budget on the backs of our kids? I realize very few of you actually have kids in the schools anymore . . . and you don’t have to look YOUR principal in the eye every day. It almost brings me to tears what you are doing to the kids of our state . . . to think that I can’t you. I know some of you will retort that the schools are “okay” this . . . No they are not. Do they prefer amputation to death, maybe. Who wouldn’t? But this 25% of the school year is over. Their budget year began July 1st. So this is a mid year cut - - a legislative pro-ration. So let me be very clear: none of our schools, none of our 1.6 million kids - - nor their families are “okay” with this. And you shouldn’t be either. I ask that my comments be printed as my NO vote explanation.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Capitol Chaos, September 28, 2009
News of the Day
House and Senate canceled Sunday sessions
When the House and Senate convene tomorrow morning, they will have less than 48 hours to pass a budget or force the state to shut down.
House speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) announced Saturday that they had canceled sessions scheduled for Sunday afternoon. However, the three scheduled conference meetings were convened. They included committees on the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education.
Session was not held today (Monday) because of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
Over the weekend Mr. Bishop expressed confidence that a deal might at last be close. He said negotiators had resolved one of the five troublesome budgets although he declined to say which one. He remained confident that the logjam might finally break and the House would pass the 2009-10 budget based on all-cuts, no tax increases model to which he and Mr. Dillon agreed.
Bishop loses straw poll
A straw poll conducted at this past weekend’s Republican Party conference on Mackinac Island gave business executive Rick Snyder the nod in the Republican gubernatorial contest, while Sen. Michelle McManus won the secretary of state race and Bill Schuette the attorney general nod.
Leading the attorney general’s race, Mr. Schuette, the former Court of Appeals judge, state senator and congressman, took 57.5% of the 1,212 votes cast. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop captured 36.8% while Sen. Bruce Patterson received 5.7%.
In the gubernatorial straw poll, 1,244 votes were cast. Mr. Snyder prevailed with 31% to 24.1% for Attorney General Mike Cox, 24% for Oakland County sheriff Michael Bouchard, 17.6% for U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra and 3.3% for state Sen. Tom George.
Ms. McManus took 34% of the 1,186 votes cast for secretary of state, while Sen. Cameron Brown received 26.2%, Calhoun County Clerk and Register of Deeds Anne Norlander received 20.9% and Rep. Paul Scott took 17.9%.
Just the Facts – Powers and Duties given to State Government by HB 5345
Speaker Dillon’s proposed mandatory government-run health plan
Each day we will provide some of the powers and duties that this legislation gives to state government that normally is provided at the local level by local school board members, city councils, county commissioners, etc.
- The Michigan health benefits program board is created as an autonomous entity in the department of management and budget. Sec. 3(1)
- The board shall exercise its powers independent of the director of the department of management and budget. Sec. 3(1)
- The state employer shall serve as chairperson. Sec. 5(1)
- After the first meeting, the board shall meet at least monthly. Sec. 5(1)
- State health scheme vs. federal health reform
Would all public employees have exactly the same health insurance?
State Plan
No. Public employees would lose the plans they have today and would be forced to choose from a limited menu of plans mandated and designed by the state-run program.
Federal Health Reform Plan
No. National health care reform would preserve choice for people who have insurance today and extend coverage to provide affordable choices to people who are presently uninsured.
School Reform
House Bills 4787, 4788, 4789 – School Reform/Takeover
These bills allow so-called “failing schools” to be targeted for special help. Schools with chronically low student achievement would be placed under the oversight of a state reform/design officer and operated as a “redesigned school” with modified staffing rules that could be negotiated with employees.
The district could authorize special charter schools, or “turnaround schools.” That would provide students with an alternative education option.
These bills have passed the House and have been referred to the Senate.
The reform measures in these bills are as follows:
- Provide for improving the education of children and working conditions of employees.
- Control over the school is given to someone with experience and the authority to reform the school.
- Protects the rights of employees to bargain changes in working conditions. It also expands bargaining rights to include the ability to bargain over the privatization of support services, the terms of a leave of absence to teach in a charter school and the first day of school.
- Creation of a turnaround charter school is the last resort, not the automatic first option. Extensive oversight of the charter schools is provided
- Establishes alternative routes to certification.
MEA supports these bills.
Make sure you get this information out to your membership.
Rep. Calley on the Today Show
If you haven't seen this in the news, take an opportunity to read the story and watch the video. As Matt Lauer said, "No good deed goes unpunished"
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
More Chaos at the Capitol
Capitol Chaos – Monday, Sept. 21
News of the Day
Dillon, Bishop say votes will come on budget this week
Speaker of the House Andy Dillon (D-Redford Township) and Sen. Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) told Detroit Economic Club members today that they expect to act on several budget bills by the end of the week—and plan to have the entire budget on the governor’s desk before the September 30 deadline.
At this point, it looks like the budget will feature massive cuts, including cuts to education.
Dillon acknowledges that getting the rest of the House to sign on to $1.2 billion cuts that he agreed to won’t be easy, specifically citing cuts to Community Health, Human Services and revenue sharing as problematic.
Curiously, Dillon told the crowd of 150 that he would protect “life-and-death things like nursing homes, police and fire” but that “maybe the education things are more discretionary, even though they are our future.”
As for Dillon’s idea that “revenue enhancement bills” could soften the budget blows, Bishop said it wasn’t likely and that his members would vote against any tax increase that appears in the Senate.
Media coverage: http://www.freep.com/article/20090921/NEWS15/90921015/1319/Lawmakers--Budget-action-soon
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090921/POLITICS02/909210387/Bishop-keeps-veto-threat-in-mind-as-state-budget-moves-forward
Hear the entire address by clicking on both segments of WWJ Plus’“Michigan’s Countdown—Balancing the Budget” on the right side of your screen: http://www.wwj.com/pages/91467.php.
Don’t let up contacting legislators!
Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.
• Tell them to maintain funding for public education -- The only way to ensure our long-term economic recovery is to prepare our students for the jobs Michigan needs.
• Our leaders in Lansing must stop the political maneuvering around other issues (such as the mandatory health plan for public employees and ill-advised school reforms) -- It's time to focus on fixing our budget.
• The only way to fix our budget is to update our antiquated tax structure and bring in revenue from the areas of our economy that are growing (such as services).
Just the Facts
Speaker Dillon’s proposed mandatory government-run health plan
If you’re wondering what a worst case scenario might be under HB 5345, the proposed mandatory state-run health plan for public employees, take a look at North Carolina or New Jersey or West Virginia.
This year, North Carolina taxpayers will pay $250 million to bail out their plan. In two years, they’ll be paying $678 million because of cost overruns and little or no oversight. Investigators in New Jersey believe the state may have misspent $185 million in the last five years. And in West Virginia, the state is proposing to cut off all retirees from any health insurance coverage in order to balance its books.
Other Legislative News
Reform proposals on legislative agenda
While the budget and HB 5345 are front and center legislative news, there are two other packages of bills that would impact public education.
Rep. Tim Melton is the primary sponsor of legislation that would affect so-called “failing schools.” MEA supports House Bills 4787, 4788 and 4789 as a package as passed by the House. The bills have been referred to the Senate Education Committee. Go to www.legislature.mi.org and type in the bill numbers for more information.
Other legislation, primarily sponsored by Sen. Wayne Kuipers, would create new “neighborhood public schools.” MEA opposes Senate Bills 636, 637 and 638 because they create more charter schools. The bills passed the Senate Education Committee and are pending before the full Senate. To learn more, go to www.legislature.mi.gov and type in the bill numbers
News of the Day
Dillon, Bishop say votes will come on budget this week
Speaker of the House Andy Dillon (D-Redford Township) and Sen. Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) told Detroit Economic Club members today that they expect to act on several budget bills by the end of the week—and plan to have the entire budget on the governor’s desk before the September 30 deadline.
At this point, it looks like the budget will feature massive cuts, including cuts to education.
Dillon acknowledges that getting the rest of the House to sign on to $1.2 billion cuts that he agreed to won’t be easy, specifically citing cuts to Community Health, Human Services and revenue sharing as problematic.
Curiously, Dillon told the crowd of 150 that he would protect “life-and-death things like nursing homes, police and fire” but that “maybe the education things are more discretionary, even though they are our future.”
As for Dillon’s idea that “revenue enhancement bills” could soften the budget blows, Bishop said it wasn’t likely and that his members would vote against any tax increase that appears in the Senate.
Media coverage: http://www.freep.com/article/20090921/NEWS15/90921015/1319/Lawmakers--Budget-action-soon
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090921/POLITICS02/909210387/Bishop-keeps-veto-threat-in-mind-as-state-budget-moves-forward
Hear the entire address by clicking on both segments of WWJ Plus’“Michigan’s Countdown—Balancing the Budget” on the right side of your screen: http://www.wwj.com/pages/91467.php.
Don’t let up contacting legislators!
Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.
• Tell them to maintain funding for public education -- The only way to ensure our long-term economic recovery is to prepare our students for the jobs Michigan needs.
• Our leaders in Lansing must stop the political maneuvering around other issues (such as the mandatory health plan for public employees and ill-advised school reforms) -- It's time to focus on fixing our budget.
• The only way to fix our budget is to update our antiquated tax structure and bring in revenue from the areas of our economy that are growing (such as services).
Just the Facts
Speaker Dillon’s proposed mandatory government-run health plan
If you’re wondering what a worst case scenario might be under HB 5345, the proposed mandatory state-run health plan for public employees, take a look at North Carolina or New Jersey or West Virginia.
This year, North Carolina taxpayers will pay $250 million to bail out their plan. In two years, they’ll be paying $678 million because of cost overruns and little or no oversight. Investigators in New Jersey believe the state may have misspent $185 million in the last five years. And in West Virginia, the state is proposing to cut off all retirees from any health insurance coverage in order to balance its books.
Other Legislative News
Reform proposals on legislative agenda
While the budget and HB 5345 are front and center legislative news, there are two other packages of bills that would impact public education.
Rep. Tim Melton is the primary sponsor of legislation that would affect so-called “failing schools.” MEA supports House Bills 4787, 4788 and 4789 as a package as passed by the House. The bills have been referred to the Senate Education Committee. Go to www.legislature.mi.org and type in the bill numbers for more information.
Other legislation, primarily sponsored by Sen. Wayne Kuipers, would create new “neighborhood public schools.” MEA opposes Senate Bills 636, 637 and 638 because they create more charter schools. The bills passed the Senate Education Committee and are pending before the full Senate. To learn more, go to www.legislature.mi.gov and type in the bill numbers
Monday, September 21, 2009
Capitol Chaos, September 18
News of the Day
Public Hearings Continue on HB 5345
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan testified Thursday before a House panel considering House Bill 5345, a proposed mandatory state-run health plan for public employees. Asked if forcing workers into a state-run insurance program would save $900 million, as purported by bill sponsor Rep. Andy Dillon, Flanagan pegged the savings as "between zero and $900 million."
Flanagan told the House Public Employee Health Care Reform Committee that public schools might be able to further cut spending by consolidating services and wringing other efficiencies, though other expert witnesses have questioned the alleged savings in this proposal. Flanagan also told the panel that he didn't want to see his teacher-daughter lose her health benefits -- and, he said, collective bargaining helps public employees.
"I think people would be screwed if they weren't represented by unions," Flanagan told lawmakers.
Brian Morris, a senior consultant at Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Co., said based on the information he's seen in the revised white paper, he doesn't have an estimate on the possible savings.
Mr. Brian Morris, who is a health care actuary who works with public employers, told lawmakers he does see a potential for savings, particularly the part about administration of benefits, but savings are lowered when there are more than "tens of thousands" of benefit recipients in the pool.
Wayne Cass, chair of the Coalition of Labor Organizations at Michigan State University, said there is no guarantee that some employees won't see benefit reductions. The proposal doesn't address the real issue of rising health care costs.
The committee's next public hearing is Sept. 24.
Budget Drama
Budget Discussions Move to Committee
House and Senate leaders have named conferees to all appropriation subcommittees in order to reach agreement on the budget. It is reported that members of each of the conference committees will be working over the weekend with hopes of having consensus on the budget by Tuesday.
Serving on the K-12 School Aid Conference Committee are: Reps. Terry Brown, George Cushingberry, Chuck Moss and Senators Ron Jelinek, Cameron Brown and Mickey Switalski.
Just the Facts
Speaker Dillon’s Proposed Mandatory Government-run Health Plan (HB 5345) would end local control and eliminate collective bargaining over health benefits, gutting labor law protections that ensure employees have a voice in choosing the health insurance plan and doctor network that works best for them in their local areas. (Sec. 16)
Public Hearings Continue on HB 5345
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan testified Thursday before a House panel considering House Bill 5345, a proposed mandatory state-run health plan for public employees. Asked if forcing workers into a state-run insurance program would save $900 million, as purported by bill sponsor Rep. Andy Dillon, Flanagan pegged the savings as "between zero and $900 million."
Flanagan told the House Public Employee Health Care Reform Committee that public schools might be able to further cut spending by consolidating services and wringing other efficiencies, though other expert witnesses have questioned the alleged savings in this proposal. Flanagan also told the panel that he didn't want to see his teacher-daughter lose her health benefits -- and, he said, collective bargaining helps public employees.
"I think people would be screwed if they weren't represented by unions," Flanagan told lawmakers.
Brian Morris, a senior consultant at Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Co., said based on the information he's seen in the revised white paper, he doesn't have an estimate on the possible savings.
Mr. Brian Morris, who is a health care actuary who works with public employers, told lawmakers he does see a potential for savings, particularly the part about administration of benefits, but savings are lowered when there are more than "tens of thousands" of benefit recipients in the pool.
Wayne Cass, chair of the Coalition of Labor Organizations at Michigan State University, said there is no guarantee that some employees won't see benefit reductions. The proposal doesn't address the real issue of rising health care costs.
The committee's next public hearing is Sept. 24.
Budget Drama
Budget Discussions Move to Committee
House and Senate leaders have named conferees to all appropriation subcommittees in order to reach agreement on the budget. It is reported that members of each of the conference committees will be working over the weekend with hopes of having consensus on the budget by Tuesday.
Serving on the K-12 School Aid Conference Committee are: Reps. Terry Brown, George Cushingberry, Chuck Moss and Senators Ron Jelinek, Cameron Brown and Mickey Switalski.
Just the Facts
Speaker Dillon’s Proposed Mandatory Government-run Health Plan (HB 5345) would end local control and eliminate collective bargaining over health benefits, gutting labor law protections that ensure employees have a voice in choosing the health insurance plan and doctor network that works best for them in their local areas. (Sec. 16)
Friday, September 18, 2009
More than MEA upset with Dillon
More and more labor leaders are calling Dillon out for his health care plan and his stance on the budget. Mark Gafney (state president of the AFL-CIO) is the latest to claim that Dillon is using public employees to launch a run at the Governor's office next year.
Once again, it appears that our elected leaders use (or abuse) public employees to advance their political careers.
Once again, it appears that our elected leaders use (or abuse) public employees to advance their political careers.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Capitol Chaos...September 16 update
News of the Day
Budget Talks Continue
With only two weeks left before the start of the state’s fiscal year (and almost three months since school districts started their fiscal years), Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and House Speaker Andy Dillon settled on a “process” to break a logjam and address a $2.7 billion deficit. Several sticking points remain.
Issues that remain in contention between House and Senate negotiators include: cuts in college Promise scholarships; state aid to local governments; Medicaid; and the K-12 school aid budget. Senate Majority Leader Bishop continues to express strong opposition to new revenues. Speaker Dillon told Gongwers News Service that Democrats were “fighting to maintain funding for critical areas such Medicaid, early education, revenue sharing, and the Promise scholarships.” Avoiding Senate-passed reductions would require a deal between the House, Senate and Governor on new tax revenues – either by raising taxes and fees, reducing tax breaks, or trying other ways to generate more money. Senate Republicans would likely insist that any deal on new revenue include some form of “government reform.”
This afternoon, joint House-Senate conference committees were given the green light by legislative leaders to start meeting to begin negotiations to work out differences between the two Houses.
The chairs of the K-12 conference committee are Rep. Terry Brown and Senator Ron Jelinek.The other four members of the conference committee have not yet been announced.
Indications are that there is disagreement on how to approach the lack of revenue and how to make cuts if cuts have to be made.
Budget Talks Continue
With only two weeks left before the start of the state’s fiscal year (and almost three months since school districts started their fiscal years), Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and House Speaker Andy Dillon settled on a “process” to break a logjam and address a $2.7 billion deficit. Several sticking points remain.
Issues that remain in contention between House and Senate negotiators include: cuts in college Promise scholarships; state aid to local governments; Medicaid; and the K-12 school aid budget. Senate Majority Leader Bishop continues to express strong opposition to new revenues. Speaker Dillon told Gongwers News Service that Democrats were “fighting to maintain funding for critical areas such Medicaid, early education, revenue sharing, and the Promise scholarships.” Avoiding Senate-passed reductions would require a deal between the House, Senate and Governor on new tax revenues – either by raising taxes and fees, reducing tax breaks, or trying other ways to generate more money. Senate Republicans would likely insist that any deal on new revenue include some form of “government reform.”
This afternoon, joint House-Senate conference committees were given the green light by legislative leaders to start meeting to begin negotiations to work out differences between the two Houses.
The chairs of the K-12 conference committee are Rep. Terry Brown and Senator Ron Jelinek.The other four members of the conference committee have not yet been announced.
Indications are that there is disagreement on how to approach the lack of revenue and how to make cuts if cuts have to be made.
Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.
Just the Facts
Speaker Dillon’s Proposed Mandatory Government-Run Health Plan
HB 5345 expands state government power over patients’ medical care and puts state government between patients and their doctors. Sec. 12(e) of HB 5345 mandates the use of “clinical advocates” with wide-ranging powers to review and approve (or reject) diagnoses and treatment plans agreed on by patients and their doctors.
Committee Notice
Public Employee Health Care Reform Committee
More testimony is scheduled to be heard on HB 5345 on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. The hearing will begin at 1 p.m. or after committees are given leave by the House to meet, whichever is later. The hearing will be held in room 519 of the House Office Building in Lansing. See attached list of committee members.
Testimony will be given by the following:
Mike Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Michigan Dept of Ed
Brian Morris, Senior Consultant, Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Co.
Richard Cauchi, Health Program Director, National Conference of State Legislatures
Wayne Cass, Chair of the Coalition of Labor Organizations at Michigan State University
Breaking News
Bouchard Names Land
Republican Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard announced in Detroit that Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land will be his running mate in his quest to win the 2010 gubernatorial election.
Granholm Recall Moves Forward
The Ingham County Elections Commission voted two to one to authorize a recall of Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
Michigan Corrections Officer Paul Pache received the okay during his fourth appearance before the election panel.
Granholm’s attorney is considering an appeal even though he concedes that it will be very difficult to gather the 950,000 signatures necessary to put the recall before Michigan voters.
Reminder
Use of School E-mail
Many districts have policies about communicating with legislators on school time and equipment, so wait until you are away from school to contact your legislators or use your personal cell phone when you are off duty. To stay informed at home, sign up to receive the MEA Votes e-newsletter at newsletter@meavotes.org.
Stay tuned to your Inbox every day for updates or go online at http://www.myMEA.org for archives of all the materials.
Senator Whitmer stands up for kids!
Watch Senator Whitmer's (D-East Lansing) speech on the budget that Senate Republicans are pushing for this fiscal year. It is refreshing to hear a senator stand up for kids and students.
Contact Senator Cropsey and urge him to do what is best for the his constituent's children.
Contact Senator Cropsey and urge him to do what is best for the his constituent's children.
Say no to this budget that harms schools
House leaders are reportedly ready to approve the Senate budget that cuts more than $1 billion from the state budget. They are rushing to do something rather than taking the time to do the right thing.
For K-12 public education, per pupil funding would be reduced by $110 and almost all categorical funding would be eliminated -- a total slash of almost half a billion dollars.
Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.
For K-12 public education, per pupil funding would be reduced by $110 and almost all categorical funding would be eliminated -- a total slash of almost half a billion dollars.
Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.
- Tell them to maintain funding for public education -- the only way to ensure our long-term economic recovery is to prepare our students for the jobs Michigan needs.
- Our leaders in Lansing must stop the political maneuvering around other issues (such as the mandatory health plan for public employees and ill-advised school reforms) -- it's time to focus on fixing our budget.
The only way to fix our budget is to update our antiquated tax structure and bring in revenue from the areas of our economy that are growing (such as services).
As always, when contacting your representative do not use school computers, email addresses, or fax machines. Use your home email address and cell phone when sending emails and making calls
Monday, September 14, 2009
Another white paper
Last week, Speaker Dillon released another white paper on his website. This is the second attempt to try to explain the "savings" behind his health care proposal.
Video and transcripts of the testimony given at the hearings on Public Employee Health Care Reform is available for your review here
Video and transcripts of the testimony given at the hearings on Public Employee Health Care Reform is available for your review here
Budget solutions at the expense of schools
I ran across this article over the weekend discussing ideas to correct all that is wrong with the State of Michigan. Out of the 16 points listed in the article, 8 referred to changes to the k-16 educational system.
This is just another reason to become politcally active and contact your state representative and senator. Another budget crisis at the State level shouldn't be resolved at the expense of the K-16 system.
This is just another reason to become politcally active and contact your state representative and senator. Another budget crisis at the State level shouldn't be resolved at the expense of the K-16 system.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Labor's press conference regarding Dillon's health care reform
Organized labor spoke out yesterday about Speaker Dillon's ideas on health care reform for public sector employees. Individuals from different unions spoke to how it would impact them. Read and watch the press conference to find out what was said.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Organized Labor's letter to Speaker Dillon's regarding his health insurance proposal
You can find the letter here that organized labor sent to Speaker Dillon this week regarding his proposal to pool health insurance benefits for public sector employees.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Taking from one pocket and putting in the other...
I ran across this blog entry at Blogging for Michigan. The system in Lansing is broke and this post attempts to explain why at the end.
Budget Savings From the Mythical "Other" Only Perpetuate the Partisan Divide
via Blogging For Michigan - Front Page by wizardkitten on 7/30/09
One of the most horrifying aspects of Andy Dillon's as yet unwritten plan to pool state employee heath insurance has been that it reinforces the notion that "someone else" needs to pay the bill for the government services that we all want. These employees are held up and singled out as being the answer to the problem. Just cut their benefits, make them pay more, and we can save the state, right? Even if that isn't really what is being said by Speaker Dillon, that is what the media projects, and that is what the people ultimately hear.
Never mind the details. Never mind that Dillon's plan would "take years" to produce savings. The myth being perpetrated is that if we do this right now, we don't have to make these budget cuts - and nothing could be further from the truth. Still, that is the general impression left on the public when the pundits and the press don't take the time to explain the reality of our current problem. The teachers/state employees are demonized as being greedy, and you have found your scapegoat for when the cuts do ultimately come down. Sad thing is, the legislators know this, for they have been the target of that sentiment themselves. "Just cut legislator pay!" is the frequent refrain, when it has been shown that they really cost us very little in the big picture of state expenditures.
Savings are always found somewhere else though. Those are just a couple of examples of how the "other" should be made to pay, and the concept of fairness or balance is never introduced into the equation. The race to the bottom for the "other" is cheered on from that point, and you have set up a situation where it becomes impossible to work on compromise.
And when people argue to save only certain parts of the budget? It makes the problem that much worse. One of the favorite editorial tricks is to argue for a particular piece of spending, and then leave the heavy lifting of finding the money to someone else. The GR Press is famous for this. "Don't cut spending on 'x', but don't raise taxes either!" is a familiar editorial stance. The Detroit News also plays this game, and they did it again today with tourism promotion. It has been suggested that taxes on car rentals and such be raised - an immediate answer to the problem - but the News opts to point once again to the vague government "reform" that will, of course, take decades to produce.
Meanwhile, advertising is an essential part of doing business, and that includes Michigan tourism. The Senate's plan could provide longer-term funding for it, but lawmakers should look for an alternative to the House-proposed rental vehicle tax as a more immediate money source. The long-overdue government restructuring and reordering of spending priorities would help determine where and how much money is available.
In other words, it's a non-answer to the problem. They do this all the time. They demand that spending continue without a way to pay for it.
This sort of non-solution comes from every corner. Even the wonderful Phil Power indulges in it today, making the very compelling case that we need early childhood education and that funding should be protected. He's right, just as the News is right about tourism, but even he takes the easy way out at the end of his plea.
The governor is negotiating with legislative leaders from both parties to find ways to plug the budget deficit. I suspect that in the rush to address this major financial crisis, they decided to cut early childhood programs without a full understanding of their astonishingly favorable cost-benefit results and the degree of public support. That's not surprising, given how complicated all this is.
But there is still time to do the right thing, which in this case is also economically sensible and politically smart thing. Find the savings elsewhere, and restore the funding to early childhood programs.
"Find the savings elsewhere", as if it were that easy. "Elsewhere" usually comes out of someone else's very important expenditure, and the myth of the "other" is reinforced again.
Jack Lessenberry does it today as well. We all love HAL, we all love the arts and history, we all agree that it is important to save those things. But Jack simply ignores the $2.71 billion dollar hole we are looking at as he takes the very low road of comparing apples to oranges as he reaches for the days Engler. We had the money back then, and that time could have just as easily have been characterized as "The Clinton Years", but that wouldn't serve Lessenberry's anti-Granholm bias. And then he simply punts at the end, just as the others before him.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish," the proverb says. Choosing to disregard our priceless past is about the best proof of that we can imagine. The Michigan Legislature should unite in a rare display of bipartisanship and reverse this poorly conceived idea.
Yes, they should. The Legisalture should also save tourism promotion and early childhood education. And, just as soon as the pundits stop making demands while they take a pass on the solutions, and start offering up tangible and immediate and fair ideas to our revenue problems, maybe the lawmakers will. Doubtful, but worth a shot, isn't it?
As of now, the complaints about specific spending cuts are simply advancing the notion that the answer always lies in the "other". It's no wonder the lawmakers and the public behave the way they do, and the race to the bottom will continue as we tear each other up over the dwindling pool of revenue.
Budget Savings From the Mythical "Other" Only Perpetuate the Partisan Divide
via Blogging For Michigan - Front Page by wizardkitten on 7/30/09
One of the most horrifying aspects of Andy Dillon's as yet unwritten plan to pool state employee heath insurance has been that it reinforces the notion that "someone else" needs to pay the bill for the government services that we all want. These employees are held up and singled out as being the answer to the problem. Just cut their benefits, make them pay more, and we can save the state, right? Even if that isn't really what is being said by Speaker Dillon, that is what the media projects, and that is what the people ultimately hear.
Never mind the details. Never mind that Dillon's plan would "take years" to produce savings. The myth being perpetrated is that if we do this right now, we don't have to make these budget cuts - and nothing could be further from the truth. Still, that is the general impression left on the public when the pundits and the press don't take the time to explain the reality of our current problem. The teachers/state employees are demonized as being greedy, and you have found your scapegoat for when the cuts do ultimately come down. Sad thing is, the legislators know this, for they have been the target of that sentiment themselves. "Just cut legislator pay!" is the frequent refrain, when it has been shown that they really cost us very little in the big picture of state expenditures.
Savings are always found somewhere else though. Those are just a couple of examples of how the "other" should be made to pay, and the concept of fairness or balance is never introduced into the equation. The race to the bottom for the "other" is cheered on from that point, and you have set up a situation where it becomes impossible to work on compromise.
And when people argue to save only certain parts of the budget? It makes the problem that much worse. One of the favorite editorial tricks is to argue for a particular piece of spending, and then leave the heavy lifting of finding the money to someone else. The GR Press is famous for this. "Don't cut spending on 'x', but don't raise taxes either!" is a familiar editorial stance. The Detroit News also plays this game, and they did it again today with tourism promotion. It has been suggested that taxes on car rentals and such be raised - an immediate answer to the problem - but the News opts to point once again to the vague government "reform" that will, of course, take decades to produce.
Meanwhile, advertising is an essential part of doing business, and that includes Michigan tourism. The Senate's plan could provide longer-term funding for it, but lawmakers should look for an alternative to the House-proposed rental vehicle tax as a more immediate money source. The long-overdue government restructuring and reordering of spending priorities would help determine where and how much money is available.
In other words, it's a non-answer to the problem. They do this all the time. They demand that spending continue without a way to pay for it.
This sort of non-solution comes from every corner. Even the wonderful Phil Power indulges in it today, making the very compelling case that we need early childhood education and that funding should be protected. He's right, just as the News is right about tourism, but even he takes the easy way out at the end of his plea.
The governor is negotiating with legislative leaders from both parties to find ways to plug the budget deficit. I suspect that in the rush to address this major financial crisis, they decided to cut early childhood programs without a full understanding of their astonishingly favorable cost-benefit results and the degree of public support. That's not surprising, given how complicated all this is.
But there is still time to do the right thing, which in this case is also economically sensible and politically smart thing. Find the savings elsewhere, and restore the funding to early childhood programs.
"Find the savings elsewhere", as if it were that easy. "Elsewhere" usually comes out of someone else's very important expenditure, and the myth of the "other" is reinforced again.
Jack Lessenberry does it today as well. We all love HAL, we all love the arts and history, we all agree that it is important to save those things. But Jack simply ignores the $2.71 billion dollar hole we are looking at as he takes the very low road of comparing apples to oranges as he reaches for the days Engler. We had the money back then, and that time could have just as easily have been characterized as "The Clinton Years", but that wouldn't serve Lessenberry's anti-Granholm bias. And then he simply punts at the end, just as the others before him.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish," the proverb says. Choosing to disregard our priceless past is about the best proof of that we can imagine. The Michigan Legislature should unite in a rare display of bipartisanship and reverse this poorly conceived idea.
Yes, they should. The Legisalture should also save tourism promotion and early childhood education. And, just as soon as the pundits stop making demands while they take a pass on the solutions, and start offering up tangible and immediate and fair ideas to our revenue problems, maybe the lawmakers will. Doubtful, but worth a shot, isn't it?
As of now, the complaints about specific spending cuts are simply advancing the notion that the answer always lies in the "other". It's no wonder the lawmakers and the public behave the way they do, and the race to the bottom will continue as we tear each other up over the dwindling pool of revenue.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Demand Speaker Dillon provide facts on his plan
By now, you are seeing all kinds of articles and stories about Speaker Dillon's proposed plan to place all public employee into a statewide health care plan. The results of this plan would slash your health coverage and strip your rights to bargain about them. His proposal is anti-union, anti-collective bargaining and anti-public school employee. He maintains his idea could save up to $900 million, but his numbers don’t add up and he won’t provide information or legislation to back up his claims.
This plan has gotten a lot of press – and MEA has been at the heart of this fight for the health care that keeps you and your family safe. But to win this debate, we continue to need your help in getting the facts out and ensure that your legislators in Lansing understand how strongly we oppose the Speaker’s scheme (which is nothing more than a PR stunt to fuel his run for governor).
What are the facts?
- During the past three years, Michigan’s school employees have already saved taxpayers more than $700 million in health insurance costs by accepting lower cost health coverage or paying more out of pocket for copays and premiums.
- Through salary and wage concessions during the past three years, Michigan school employees have saved taxpayers an additional $200 million. That’s almost a billion dollars in savings for Michigan taxpayers paid for by public school employees alone. And state and municipal employees are giving in huge numbers as well.
- In order to save $900 million, Speaker Dillon's plan would have to massively cut school employee health care premiums – some by as much as half. That's not efficiency or a small trim – that's gutting the health insurance of thousands of Michigan workers and their families.
- Savings can’t come from efficiency alone. In fact, research shows that once you get more than 20,000 people in a health care pool, there are no more cost savings to be gained – and virtually all public employees are already in pools bigger than that.
- As taxpayers, this isn’t a savings to you – it’s simply a cost shift that attempts, yet again, to balance the budget on your back.
- Dillon’s plan will eliminate any local control over costs and benefits. Why should we strip local school districts and local governments of the ability to collectively bargain with employees to make decisions that are right for their communities?
- Health care is a national problem that requires a national solution – one that our leaders in Washington are working on right now. For the first time, Washington is on the verge of actually controlling the cost of health care and expanding coverage to all Americans. Speaker Dillon’s plan does neither.
Your legislators in Lansing need to hear these facts. They need to stand up and demand that the Speaker provide details and legislation to back up his claims. They need to defend the health care and bargaining rights of half a million Michigan public workers and their families.
Take time to contact your legislators and communicate the points above.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tell your Rep NO to Dillon's health proposals
It is critical that you contact (i.e, call) your Representative to tell them NO to Speaker Dillon's proposal on health insurance for public employees.
Here is a sample script that you could use when calling your Reps office
"I am a public school employee. I strongly urge you to oppose Speaker Dillon's health care proposal for all public employees. It is anti-employee, anti-collective bargaining and anti-union."
To find your representative, use this link to get you to the Michigan Legislative contact page
http://michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192-29701_29704---,00.html
Here is a sample script that you could use when calling your Reps office
"I am a public school employee. I strongly urge you to oppose Speaker Dillon's health care proposal for all public employees. It is anti-employee, anti-collective bargaining and anti-union."
To find your representative, use this link to get you to the Michigan Legislative contact page
http://michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192-29701_29704---,00.html
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Speaker Dillon's Health Plan: No winners, only losers
Speaker Dillon released a plan last week to create a statewide health care plan for all public employees. It promises savings through the creation of a health care system managed by the state that eliminates the ability of local school districts and school employees to bargain these benefits.
Who loses under this plan?
Who loses under this plan?
- Public school employees have already delivered millions in savings by accepting lower salaries, cuts to their benefits and sharing in the cost of health care. In the 9G/H office, many locals have already shifted their insurance from 5/10 prescription copays to 10/20 prescription copays. This change in prescription copays saved the districts almost 10% in health care premiums.
- Public employees have taken reductions in pay and benefits, just like every other taxpayer. State mandated financial reports show that the portion of school revenue that goes to employee compensation has been decreasing.
- Public employees are taxpayers. This does not save them anything. It merely shifts the costs and burdens to them.
- This plan attempts to shift control over schools from the local communities to the politicians in Lansing. If Lansing assumes control over health care benefits, it will be another example of how local school districts have lost control over another portion of their operations. If Lansing continues to take control from school districts, there will be no need for local school boards and many administrators.
So who wins? Not taxpayers, public employees, or local communities. Is this political maneuvering by Speaker Dillon in an attempt to run for Governor in 2010? Should the health care benefits of 400,00 public employees be sacrificed for the political aspirations of one person?
Speaker Dillon's plan is a distraction from what should be the focus: passing a budget that moves Michigan in a positive direction. Let our national leaders focus on health care reform.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Secretary Duncan at NEA RA
Found this at Politico.com What are your thoughts on Secretary Duncan's ideas on merit pay?
Education Secretary Arne Duncan borrowed the Obama campaign theme Thursday in a tough-love speech to the nation’s largest teachers union, telling educators that they must be willing to change their ways, specifically around the issue of merit pay.
“It’s not enough to focus only on issues like job security, tenure, compensation and evaluation. You must become full partners and leaders in education reform. You and I must be willing to change,” Duncan said at the annual meeting of the National Education Association in San Diego. “I ask you to join President Obama and me in a new commitment to results that recognizes and rewards success in the classroom and is rooted in our common obligation to children.”
Duncan, former head of Chicago schools, said that the administration is working with Congress to ask for more money to develop teacher compensation programs tied to test scores, teacher evaluations, and extra work. The administration has allotted $100 billion in stimulus funds to prevent teacher layoffs and support education reform initiatives, such as innovative teaching, charter schools, and merit pay programs.
Unions have been vocal opponents of linking teacher pay to test scores, saying that the work of a teacher can’t be reduced to tests, which can sometimes be biased.
Duncan acknowledged this position, yet said that student performance must be a part of the equation when measuring teacher effectiveness.
“I understand that tests are far from perfect and that it is unfair to reduce the complex, nuanced work of teaching to a simple multiple choice exam. Test scores alone should never drive evaluation, compensation or tenure decisions,” he said. “But to remove student achievement entirely from evaluation is illogical and indefensible.”
The NEA, which has over 3 million members, backs linking teacher pay to extra work and acquiring extra skills but Duncan said that while he believes in increased credentialing for teachers, it does, “very little to improve the quality of teaching.”
Duncan, known for working with unions while pushing reform in Chicago, said that unions are at a crossroads and they must be willing to change tenure rules, root out bad teachers and focus on turning around poorly performing schools.
“The key to making progress on education reform begins with respect for the labor-management relationship…I salute union-management partnerships all across America that are working together to develop better hiring, compensation, evaluation and turnaround strategies,” he said. “But we need to move faster and we need to go further.”http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24447.html#ixzz0K8dYw9Ta&D
Education Secretary Arne Duncan borrowed the Obama campaign theme Thursday in a tough-love speech to the nation’s largest teachers union, telling educators that they must be willing to change their ways, specifically around the issue of merit pay.
“It’s not enough to focus only on issues like job security, tenure, compensation and evaluation. You must become full partners and leaders in education reform. You and I must be willing to change,” Duncan said at the annual meeting of the National Education Association in San Diego. “I ask you to join President Obama and me in a new commitment to results that recognizes and rewards success in the classroom and is rooted in our common obligation to children.”
Duncan, former head of Chicago schools, said that the administration is working with Congress to ask for more money to develop teacher compensation programs tied to test scores, teacher evaluations, and extra work. The administration has allotted $100 billion in stimulus funds to prevent teacher layoffs and support education reform initiatives, such as innovative teaching, charter schools, and merit pay programs.
Unions have been vocal opponents of linking teacher pay to test scores, saying that the work of a teacher can’t be reduced to tests, which can sometimes be biased.
Duncan acknowledged this position, yet said that student performance must be a part of the equation when measuring teacher effectiveness.
“I understand that tests are far from perfect and that it is unfair to reduce the complex, nuanced work of teaching to a simple multiple choice exam. Test scores alone should never drive evaluation, compensation or tenure decisions,” he said. “But to remove student achievement entirely from evaluation is illogical and indefensible.”
The NEA, which has over 3 million members, backs linking teacher pay to extra work and acquiring extra skills but Duncan said that while he believes in increased credentialing for teachers, it does, “very little to improve the quality of teaching.”
Duncan, known for working with unions while pushing reform in Chicago, said that unions are at a crossroads and they must be willing to change tenure rules, root out bad teachers and focus on turning around poorly performing schools.
“The key to making progress on education reform begins with respect for the labor-management relationship…I salute union-management partnerships all across America that are working together to develop better hiring, compensation, evaluation and turnaround strategies,” he said. “But we need to move faster and we need to go further.”http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24447.html#ixzz0K8dYw9Ta&D
Monday, June 29, 2009
Troubling news on student suspensions in Michigan schools
I found this article in MIRS on Friday regarding the ACLU's report on minorities being disproportionately suspended from Michigan schools. In the words of the ACLU, this is creating a school to prison pipeline for our minority students.
ACLU: Black Students Suspended More Than Whites
Black students are kicked out of school at higher rates than their white counterparts, according to a report released this week by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan. "In school district after school district, from one end of the state to another, we found that black kids are consistently suspended in numbers that are considerably disproportionate to their representation in the various student populations," said Mark FANCHER, ACLU of Michigan Racial Justice Project staff attorney and principal author of the report. "More alarming still are studies we examined that show that the behavior of black kids and white kids is essentially the same, and black kids are still kicked out of school proportionately more often. This is true regardless of socio-economic factors and geography." The report is called, "Reclaiming Michigan's Throwaway Kids: Students Trapped in the School-to-Prison Pipeline."
The ACLU found that disproportionate discipline towards African American students was apparent in the majority of the school districts examined in the study. For instance, in the Ann Arbor School District during the 2006-07 school year, black students accounted for 18 percent of a secondary school student population, but they received 58 percent of suspensions. This trend is reflected in school districts statewide. The report documents a trend amongst school districts to enforce severe disciplinary policies and practices that push children permanently out of the classroom without regard for the long-term impact. The school-to-prison pipeline refers to the national trend of criminalizing, rather than educating, our children. "We cannot deal with the corrections budget until we deal with the 'pipeline' leading from the educational system to prison," said ACLU Michigan Director Kary MOSS. Studies show that when students are repeatedly suspended, they are substantially at greater risk of leaving school altogether. In at least one study of the Grand Rapids School District, 31 percent of students with three or more suspensions before spring semester of their sophomore year dropped out, while only 6 percent of students with no history of suspensions dropped out. Although there are few efforts made to track the whereabouts of students who leave school, 68 percent of Michigan's prisoners are identified as high school dropouts. The study found that one significant contributor in Michigan's school-to-prison pipeline is the overreaching lack of due process. Due process policies and procedures to remove students from Michigan's public schools vary from district to district. To combat this problem, the ACLU recommends uniform statewide procedural protocols for the discipline of students that ensure students accused of misconduct have full and fair opportunities to explain their actions and otherwise defend themselves. In addition, Michigan's "zero tolerance" expulsion law, which is broader in scope than federal law requires, also contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline. Federal law requires that states receiving federal education funds must enact a law mandating one-year expulsions of students who posses firearms. However, Michigan's law goes a step further, the ACLU said, and requires the expulsion of students who possess a "dangerous weapon." The ACLU asserts that in many instances, "well behaved, unsuspecting students have faced serious consequences for carrying items that do not necessarily reflect this definition." "As an attorney, I am highly trained to deal with the loss of rights and conflict resolution, but even I was at a loss when my daughter's school nearly expelled her for bringing an eyebrow shaper to class," said Desiree FERGUSON of Detroit. "As a criminal defense expert, I knew that the charge against my daughter was unsustainable as a matter of law. But she could still have suffered serious and enduring consequences from the accusation if I had not been armed with the necessary resources to intervene immediately and fight zealously for her. I can only imagine what parents with fewer resources encounter."
The ACLU recommends amending Michigan's expulsion law to conform more strictly to the scope of federal requirements by making only firearm offenses subject to mandatory automatic expulsions. The group wants school administrators to explore alternatives to suspension and expulsion, including restorative practices to correct the problem rather than punish the deed. Other ACLU recommendations address alternative education and offer guidelines on when to involve the criminal justice system with disciplinary matters. Information within the report was obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to school districts across the state, interviews with students, parents and educators; information obtained while providing advocacy work to students facing discipline; scholarly reports and studies; legal analyses; and information collected while providing aggrieved students with legal representation.
ACLU: Black Students Suspended More Than Whites
Black students are kicked out of school at higher rates than their white counterparts, according to a report released this week by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan. "In school district after school district, from one end of the state to another, we found that black kids are consistently suspended in numbers that are considerably disproportionate to their representation in the various student populations," said Mark FANCHER, ACLU of Michigan Racial Justice Project staff attorney and principal author of the report. "More alarming still are studies we examined that show that the behavior of black kids and white kids is essentially the same, and black kids are still kicked out of school proportionately more often. This is true regardless of socio-economic factors and geography." The report is called, "Reclaiming Michigan's Throwaway Kids: Students Trapped in the School-to-Prison Pipeline."
The ACLU found that disproportionate discipline towards African American students was apparent in the majority of the school districts examined in the study. For instance, in the Ann Arbor School District during the 2006-07 school year, black students accounted for 18 percent of a secondary school student population, but they received 58 percent of suspensions. This trend is reflected in school districts statewide. The report documents a trend amongst school districts to enforce severe disciplinary policies and practices that push children permanently out of the classroom without regard for the long-term impact. The school-to-prison pipeline refers to the national trend of criminalizing, rather than educating, our children. "We cannot deal with the corrections budget until we deal with the 'pipeline' leading from the educational system to prison," said ACLU Michigan Director Kary MOSS. Studies show that when students are repeatedly suspended, they are substantially at greater risk of leaving school altogether. In at least one study of the Grand Rapids School District, 31 percent of students with three or more suspensions before spring semester of their sophomore year dropped out, while only 6 percent of students with no history of suspensions dropped out. Although there are few efforts made to track the whereabouts of students who leave school, 68 percent of Michigan's prisoners are identified as high school dropouts. The study found that one significant contributor in Michigan's school-to-prison pipeline is the overreaching lack of due process. Due process policies and procedures to remove students from Michigan's public schools vary from district to district. To combat this problem, the ACLU recommends uniform statewide procedural protocols for the discipline of students that ensure students accused of misconduct have full and fair opportunities to explain their actions and otherwise defend themselves. In addition, Michigan's "zero tolerance" expulsion law, which is broader in scope than federal law requires, also contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline. Federal law requires that states receiving federal education funds must enact a law mandating one-year expulsions of students who posses firearms. However, Michigan's law goes a step further, the ACLU said, and requires the expulsion of students who possess a "dangerous weapon." The ACLU asserts that in many instances, "well behaved, unsuspecting students have faced serious consequences for carrying items that do not necessarily reflect this definition." "As an attorney, I am highly trained to deal with the loss of rights and conflict resolution, but even I was at a loss when my daughter's school nearly expelled her for bringing an eyebrow shaper to class," said Desiree FERGUSON of Detroit. "As a criminal defense expert, I knew that the charge against my daughter was unsustainable as a matter of law. But she could still have suffered serious and enduring consequences from the accusation if I had not been armed with the necessary resources to intervene immediately and fight zealously for her. I can only imagine what parents with fewer resources encounter."
The ACLU recommends amending Michigan's expulsion law to conform more strictly to the scope of federal requirements by making only firearm offenses subject to mandatory automatic expulsions. The group wants school administrators to explore alternatives to suspension and expulsion, including restorative practices to correct the problem rather than punish the deed. Other ACLU recommendations address alternative education and offer guidelines on when to involve the criminal justice system with disciplinary matters. Information within the report was obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to school districts across the state, interviews with students, parents and educators; information obtained while providing advocacy work to students facing discipline; scholarly reports and studies; legal analyses; and information collected while providing aggrieved students with legal representation.
Friday, June 26, 2009
MEA Union Pride campaign
After a long absence, I am back blogging!
The MEA has launched the MEA Proud Union Member campaign. You may have seen the red, white, and blue buttons at coordinating council meetings but now t-shirts and other items can be found at www.mea.org
Look for legislative updates as the School Aid Budget has moved from the respective houses into conference committee negotiations.
The MEA has launched the MEA Proud Union Member campaign. You may have seen the red, white, and blue buttons at coordinating council meetings but now t-shirts and other items can be found at www.mea.org
Look for legislative updates as the School Aid Budget has moved from the respective houses into conference committee negotiations.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Late RA reminder
A late reminder (April has really flown by!), the RA is this weekend, May 1 and 2. Remind your delegates to attend. Their attendance and participation ensures that your collective voice is heard.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
PAC congrats
The PAC awards were recently announced from MEA and 9GH has two recepients this year: Tri-County CM and Portland EA.
Tri-County CM recieved the Crystal Apple award for achieving 100% PAC enrollment. Portland EA received an honorable mention for achieving 62% PAC enrollment.
Great job in promoting PAC involvement to your members!
Tri-County CM recieved the Crystal Apple award for achieving 100% PAC enrollment. Portland EA received an honorable mention for achieving 62% PAC enrollment.
Great job in promoting PAC involvement to your members!
President Salters' educational reform editorial
The link below is the latest Labor editorial from President Salters in the Detroit News regarding true educational reform. Take a look at it.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090422/OPINION01/904220316/1008/OPINION01/What+true+school+reform+means
This link is the research that she cited regarding the impacts of poverty on educational reform efforts.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090422/OPINION01/904220316/1008/OPINION01/What+true+school+reform+means
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090422/OPINION01/904220316/1008/OPINION01/What+true+school+reform+means
This link is the research that she cited regarding the impacts of poverty on educational reform efforts.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090422/OPINION01/904220316/1008/OPINION01/What+true+school+reform+means
Monday, April 20, 2009
Court ruling gives Redford Union teachers back pay.
ALJ decides district guilty of bad faith bargaining
If the Redford Union School Board decides to abide by an administrative law judge’s ruling, changes its bargaining tactics and starts to bargain in good faith, there’s a chance the long-standing contract battle between the district and its teachers can be resolved.
Last week, Administrative Law Judge David Peltz ruled that the Redford Union School Board improperly imposed a contract on the Redford Union Education Association and was wrong in charging that the union refused to bargain. The RUEA filed an unfair labor practice against the district when it declared impasse and imposed an insurance program that included a $1,500 deductible and higher co-pays in April 2007.
Peltz’s ruling calls for the district to make union members whole for the illegal deductions to their pay from April 2007 to the present, plus interest. The district must also fully reimburse every teacher for any out-of-pocket medical costs that would have been covered under their previous medical insurance.
“This decision is vindication for the union. All along we’ve maintained that the district wasn’t bargaining in good faith but we were. This is a victory for us, but I know the district has a deficit and can’t afford to pay back the money,” said Steve Losey, RUEA president.
The district was required to file a deficit elimination plan with the state because of its financial condition. Despite the judge’s ruling, the district plans to appeal.
Losey said, “I wish the district would simply accept that they were wrong and move on instead of spending more money on an appeal. We would like to move forward.”
The 268 teachers have been without a new contract since August 2005. The union has set tentative May and June dates for fact-finding.
According to Art Przybylowicz, MEA general counsel, this decision has an impact on other difficult bargaining sessions. He cautions that declaring impasse isn’t the way to deal with financial problems. Bargaining in good faith benefits both sides.
“The Redford Union decision means school districts need to consider the total cost of imposing a contract on its staff to save money. Now there’s the cost of the back pay with interest for an illegal action. School districts haven’t always considered that risk in the past,” said Przybylowicz.
If the Redford Union School Board decides to abide by an administrative law judge’s ruling, changes its bargaining tactics and starts to bargain in good faith, there’s a chance the long-standing contract battle between the district and its teachers can be resolved.
Last week, Administrative Law Judge David Peltz ruled that the Redford Union School Board improperly imposed a contract on the Redford Union Education Association and was wrong in charging that the union refused to bargain. The RUEA filed an unfair labor practice against the district when it declared impasse and imposed an insurance program that included a $1,500 deductible and higher co-pays in April 2007.
Peltz’s ruling calls for the district to make union members whole for the illegal deductions to their pay from April 2007 to the present, plus interest. The district must also fully reimburse every teacher for any out-of-pocket medical costs that would have been covered under their previous medical insurance.
“This decision is vindication for the union. All along we’ve maintained that the district wasn’t bargaining in good faith but we were. This is a victory for us, but I know the district has a deficit and can’t afford to pay back the money,” said Steve Losey, RUEA president.
The district was required to file a deficit elimination plan with the state because of its financial condition. Despite the judge’s ruling, the district plans to appeal.
Losey said, “I wish the district would simply accept that they were wrong and move on instead of spending more money on an appeal. We would like to move forward.”
The 268 teachers have been without a new contract since August 2005. The union has set tentative May and June dates for fact-finding.
According to Art Przybylowicz, MEA general counsel, this decision has an impact on other difficult bargaining sessions. He cautions that declaring impasse isn’t the way to deal with financial problems. Bargaining in good faith benefits both sides.
“The Redford Union decision means school districts need to consider the total cost of imposing a contract on its staff to save money. Now there’s the cost of the back pay with interest for an illegal action. School districts haven’t always considered that risk in the past,” said Przybylowicz.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
BIMEA on FB
That's right! BIMEA has made the leap to FaceBook. If you are already a FaceBook user, search for Barry Ionia Montcalm Education Association and become a fan today.
The page is under construction so there isn't a lot there right now but continue to check in as we keep working on updating it.
The page is under construction so there isn't a lot there right now but continue to check in as we keep working on updating it.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Stimulus and lay-offs
Here is a great link to a NEA article on how districts continue to lay-off individuals without looking into how stimulus money can be used.
http://blogs.nea.org/ednotes/2009/04/money-is-coming-so-why-am-i-getting.html
Everyday, we get more information behind the stimulus money that is being released for education. Contact the office to get the latest information to share with your members, the district, and your community.
http://blogs.nea.org/ednotes/2009/04/money-is-coming-so-why-am-i-getting.html
Everyday, we get more information behind the stimulus money that is being released for education. Contact the office to get the latest information to share with your members, the district, and your community.
Monday, April 6, 2009
9GH schools in the local paper
Over the weekend, local school districts react to the MEAP results released on Thursday. Read about it at
http://www.thedailynews.cc/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID=2&articleID=26435
In other news, Central Montcalm spotlights its academic programs
http://www.thedailynews.cc/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID=2&articleID=26430
Have a good spring break!
http://www.thedailynews.cc/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID=2&articleID=26435
In other news, Central Montcalm spotlights its academic programs
http://www.thedailynews.cc/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID=2&articleID=26430
Have a good spring break!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Days or Hours?
How should time for instruction be calculated? Days or hours? 1098 or 180? Weigh in with your opinion by posting a comment
Thursday, March 26, 2009
President Salters at 9-GH
President Salters will be attending our April 16 Coordinating Council meeting. This will be a great opportunity for you to meet President Salters and ask any questions that you or your members may have. The purpose of her visit is to continue to encourage open communication between the executive office in Lansing and the coordinating councils in the state.
Hope to see you here! By the way, don't forget to bring your canned goods for the food drive when you come to April's coordinating council.
Hope to see you here! By the way, don't forget to bring your canned goods for the food drive when you come to April's coordinating council.
Retirement Stimulus stalls
In case you didn't catch the news this morning, the MEA proposed retirement stimulus stalled. According to our press release, President Salters expressed thanks to the bipartisan work of a group of legislators. However, there is disappointment with some legislators and school business officials that could not see the broader benefits for Michigan’s future that this legislation would have brought.
Hopefully, this discussion will continue and lead to alternatives that create opportunities that will avoid cuts for schools.
Hopefully, this discussion will continue and lead to alternatives that create opportunities that will avoid cuts for schools.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Threats of Lay-off negatively impacts work performance
With the current economic conditions in Michigan, many of our members have expressed concerns about potential reduction of hours and lay-offs. I came across this most recent article entitled "Employees Spending More Time Worrying About Job Security" by Theresa Minton-Eversole in the latest online SHRM newsletter. Ms. Minton-Eversole points to research that shows that individuals are less productive when they are worried about their job security. In 2 nationwide surveys conducted in January 2009, employees reported that they spend up to 3 hours a day worrying about their job. The most common reason why employees worry about job security? A lack of communication by supervisors. Does this sound familar?
Why the suddent lack of communication from supervisors? The article states that many supervisors want to limit their contact with the individuals that may be laid off. In other words, it is an avoidance technique. The article continues on that supervisors avoid employees during this time because they feel bad about these lay-offs even though budget cuts are often out of their control. I am sure that in education, this guilt may be compounded by the fact that school boards are diverting federal stimulus money into their fund surplus rather than using them to prevent lay-offs.
What can you do to keep the lines of communication open? First, continue to talk to your principal/supervisor. Maintaining open lines of communication with administrators allows for information to be shared back and forth. It is one way in which both the Association member and principal can work together to make sure the stimulus money is used to protect jobs and maintain levels of education rather than continuing to fund a school board surplus.
Secondly, attend your school board meetings. Talk to your board members about how your district is going to use the stimulus money that they receive. Ask for documentation and proof when the superintendent or board member says that the money can't be used to preserve jobs, wages, and benefits. I am willing to bet they will not have evidence to justify their position. Contact your local leader and the UniServ office for talking points to help you in these conversations.
Finally, talk to your fellow members. This is a time in which rumors grow and spread at a lightening pace. When you here a rumor about lay-offs or job cuts, ask for evidence that would make it true. These rumors have a way of creating tension between our fellow members. If there seems to be some truth to the rumor, contact your local president and leaders so that they can talk to the administration to see if it is true or not.
Why the suddent lack of communication from supervisors? The article states that many supervisors want to limit their contact with the individuals that may be laid off. In other words, it is an avoidance technique. The article continues on that supervisors avoid employees during this time because they feel bad about these lay-offs even though budget cuts are often out of their control. I am sure that in education, this guilt may be compounded by the fact that school boards are diverting federal stimulus money into their fund surplus rather than using them to prevent lay-offs.
What can you do to keep the lines of communication open? First, continue to talk to your principal/supervisor. Maintaining open lines of communication with administrators allows for information to be shared back and forth. It is one way in which both the Association member and principal can work together to make sure the stimulus money is used to protect jobs and maintain levels of education rather than continuing to fund a school board surplus.
Secondly, attend your school board meetings. Talk to your board members about how your district is going to use the stimulus money that they receive. Ask for documentation and proof when the superintendent or board member says that the money can't be used to preserve jobs, wages, and benefits. I am willing to bet they will not have evidence to justify their position. Contact your local leader and the UniServ office for talking points to help you in these conversations.
Finally, talk to your fellow members. This is a time in which rumors grow and spread at a lightening pace. When you here a rumor about lay-offs or job cuts, ask for evidence that would make it true. These rumors have a way of creating tension between our fellow members. If there seems to be some truth to the rumor, contact your local president and leaders so that they can talk to the administration to see if it is true or not.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The latest on the retirement stimulus
In case you haven't been to www.mea.org, there is an update on the status of the retirement stimulus. It can be found at http://mea.org/retirement/index.html There are several good links with more information and an opportunity to urge your state senator to support SB 255.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Great story from Ironworkers
Ok, I wanted to pass on this story that I found at the AFL-CIO blog about some cool things that ironworkers are doing for kids in Boston that are fighting cancer. My brother is an ironworker from Detroit...it reminded me that these tough construction workers have a big, caring heart.
You can see the pictures from this story at the AFL-CIO blog on the side of this page under "What I'm reading"
For Children with Cancer, a Special Gift from Ironworkers
digg_url = 'http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/03/09/for-children-with-cancer-a-special-gift-from-ironworkers/';
digg_title = 'For Children with Cancer, a Special Gift from Ironworkers';
digg_skin = 'compact';
by James Parks, Mar 9, 2009
The members of Ironworkers Local 7 work hard in the cold, windy weather in Boston. But they have found a way to keep their hearts warm and to provide a special gift to hundreds of young cancer patients.
Children who come to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute write their names on sheets of paper and tape them to the windows of the walkway for ironworkers to see. And, each day, the ironworkers paint the names onto I-beams and hoist them into place as they add floors to the building.
So far, the workers have paid tribute to more than 100 children. Last Friday, ABC News spotlighted members of Local 7 and named the children they honor as its “Persons of the Week.”
Tommy, a 10-year-old cancer patient whose vision has been restored by chemotherapy treatments at the clinic, told ABC: You put your name on a piece of paper and then hold it up to the window, and the people will see and then they’ll spray paint your name on. Now I know I’m always part of this building. Click here to see the ABC report.
The Ironworkers began the ritual of the names in 1996 when they were building the Research Laboratories at Dana-Farber. When they began working on this latest project, they resumed the practice. The workers say it’s a way to honor the children. Michael Walsh, a Local 7 foreman, told ABC: It was spontaneous. I think one child put their name on a window. One ironworker saw that name, spray painted, ‘Hi Kids,’ and then that name on a beam—and it just grew from there.
“It’s been a tough winter—cold, snowy,” said Walsh, a 27-year ironworker veteran. But the men have been plowing through because they know they’re going to see the kids. You’re bringing a little bit of joy into their lives. So this job is probably one of those jobs most of us will never forget. There’s a lot of softies up there working for me right now.
This type of kindness and support of those with problems is not unusual for union members, says Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes: As a human being, I’m touched by the gestures of these workers. As a parent, I’m profoundly grateful. As a fellow Local 7 Ironworker, I have to say that as proud as I am of these kindnesses, I’m equally unsurprised. The members of the labor movement perform acts of kindness like this every day. We contribute in ways large and small, symbolic and concrete. The labor movement hasn ‘t forgotten that it’s all about families, and there’s nothing more important to a family than our kids. As union people, we call perfect strangers brother and sister, and those Ironworkers saw those kids at Children Hospital as if they were their own. That something so simple can have an impact so grand just speaks to the role workers play in making this country as great as it is. It’s nice the press caught on to the good work we do as working people.
You can see the pictures from this story at the AFL-CIO blog on the side of this page under "What I'm reading"
For Children with Cancer, a Special Gift from Ironworkers
digg_url = 'http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/03/09/for-children-with-cancer-a-special-gift-from-ironworkers/';
digg_title = 'For Children with Cancer, a Special Gift from Ironworkers';
digg_skin = 'compact';
by James Parks, Mar 9, 2009
The members of Ironworkers Local 7 work hard in the cold, windy weather in Boston. But they have found a way to keep their hearts warm and to provide a special gift to hundreds of young cancer patients.
Children who come to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute write their names on sheets of paper and tape them to the windows of the walkway for ironworkers to see. And, each day, the ironworkers paint the names onto I-beams and hoist them into place as they add floors to the building.
So far, the workers have paid tribute to more than 100 children. Last Friday, ABC News spotlighted members of Local 7 and named the children they honor as its “Persons of the Week.”
Tommy, a 10-year-old cancer patient whose vision has been restored by chemotherapy treatments at the clinic, told ABC: You put your name on a piece of paper and then hold it up to the window, and the people will see and then they’ll spray paint your name on. Now I know I’m always part of this building. Click here to see the ABC report.
The Ironworkers began the ritual of the names in 1996 when they were building the Research Laboratories at Dana-Farber. When they began working on this latest project, they resumed the practice. The workers say it’s a way to honor the children. Michael Walsh, a Local 7 foreman, told ABC: It was spontaneous. I think one child put their name on a window. One ironworker saw that name, spray painted, ‘Hi Kids,’ and then that name on a beam—and it just grew from there.
“It’s been a tough winter—cold, snowy,” said Walsh, a 27-year ironworker veteran. But the men have been plowing through because they know they’re going to see the kids. You’re bringing a little bit of joy into their lives. So this job is probably one of those jobs most of us will never forget. There’s a lot of softies up there working for me right now.
This type of kindness and support of those with problems is not unusual for union members, says Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes: As a human being, I’m touched by the gestures of these workers. As a parent, I’m profoundly grateful. As a fellow Local 7 Ironworker, I have to say that as proud as I am of these kindnesses, I’m equally unsurprised. The members of the labor movement perform acts of kindness like this every day. We contribute in ways large and small, symbolic and concrete. The labor movement hasn ‘t forgotten that it’s all about families, and there’s nothing more important to a family than our kids. As union people, we call perfect strangers brother and sister, and those Ironworkers saw those kids at Children Hospital as if they were their own. That something so simple can have an impact so grand just speaks to the role workers play in making this country as great as it is. It’s nice the press caught on to the good work we do as working people.
Federal stimulus
A recent article from the New York Times regarding the stimulus and education can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/education/09educ.html?_r=1
There are lots of questions regarding the stimulus and how it will impact your district. Feel free to contact the office with any questions that you have.
There are lots of questions regarding the stimulus and how it will impact your district. Feel free to contact the office with any questions that you have.
Debate over graduation requirements
Within the past week, Representative Brian Calley has introduced House Bill 4534 calling for the repeal of the state graduation requirements. Under his proposed bill, schools could go back to the former, more flexible high school graduation requirements.
What are your thoughts? Post a comment below in the comments section.
What are your thoughts? Post a comment below in the comments section.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Growing networks
Did you think that you would Twitter? How about blog? 85 teachers and administrators, as well as representatives of MEA, MASA, MSBO met today to learn about new ways to grow our respective organization's social networks. At MEA headquarters today, the Michigan School Public Relations Association held a workshop that focused on the power of social networking. Norrie and I spent the morning learning how to blog, twitter, and even how to re-tweet. We were both amazed at how quickly information can be shared with people that have similar interests. How information is used creates power, changes the dynamics at the bargaining table, aids in advocating for members. One doesn't have to look any further than the events in GR this week to see how people try to use information to create power or change the dynamics in bargaining.
What does this mean for our locals? It is a new way for members to connect to other members to exchange best practices, presidents to share insights with other presidents, and locals to build coalitions with other locals. In other words, the ability for us to collaborate and share information through social networking creates powerful groups with common goals. Social networks are just another avenue that we can use to support each other as we improve teaching and learning conditions within our schools.
I encourage you to attend the March Leadership Banquet to learn more how our Coordinating Council will use these social networks to unite and strengthen the local associations in BIMEA.
Until then, how do you think that we could use social networks within the Coordinating Council? Post your thoughts and ideas
What does this mean for our locals? It is a new way for members to connect to other members to exchange best practices, presidents to share insights with other presidents, and locals to build coalitions with other locals. In other words, the ability for us to collaborate and share information through social networking creates powerful groups with common goals. Social networks are just another avenue that we can use to support each other as we improve teaching and learning conditions within our schools.
I encourage you to attend the March Leadership Banquet to learn more how our Coordinating Council will use these social networks to unite and strengthen the local associations in BIMEA.
Until then, how do you think that we could use social networks within the Coordinating Council? Post your thoughts and ideas
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
blogs across the MEA
Blogs are spreading! I have linked our blog to several blogs from across the western part of the state. If you go to the right of the page to the area "What I am reading", you will see the headings for two coordinating council blogs and as well as two local blogs (Portland EA and Delton-Kellogg EA). At the Delton blog, you can get a quick update of how bargaining is going. Enjoy!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Incentive, Incentive, Incentive...Lobby Day 2009
As one might expect, Lobby Day this year was dominated by one theme: Retirement Stimulus for education employees. It was noted by Ed Sarpolous, GA Director, that the only piece of positive news that has come out of Lansing in the past 60 days has come from the MEA. In some respects that is true. All that the Governor has talked about has been cuts, cuts and more cuts.
Since we came out with our proposal, the Governor has also proposed a school retirement incentive. However, there are some key differences:
1.) The MEA plan is a change from 1.5 to 2.0 in the multiplier used to calculate your pension. Governor Granholm's plan would be a one time only bonus. This bonus could be as much as half of the teacher's salary.
2.) The MEA plan includes ALL school employees; Governor Granholm's plan is only intended for teachers, excluding ESP and administrators.
3.) The MEA plan is intended to keep the savings generated by the incentive at the local level; Governor Granholm's plan would require local school districts to share in the cost of the incentive by matching a portion of the State bonus.
In other Lobby Day events, 9GH had over 20 members and even a couple of area administrators attend lobbying activities. Groups were able to meet with the Representatives Calley and Huckleberry. We also visited their offices and met with their respective chief of staff. In the case of Rep. Calley, this was our second year visiting his office. 9 members were able to meet with Representative Calley at his office as well as during lunch. (We also meet with him the night before at the Leg Council held at the Corner Landing...lots of face time with Rep. Calley over the past 24 hours!) During these meetings, he stated that he is in support of the MEA version of the retirement stimulus.
All in all, Lobby Day was a success. For more info on Lobby Day, visit www.mea.org
Since we came out with our proposal, the Governor has also proposed a school retirement incentive. However, there are some key differences:
1.) The MEA plan is a change from 1.5 to 2.0 in the multiplier used to calculate your pension. Governor Granholm's plan would be a one time only bonus. This bonus could be as much as half of the teacher's salary.
2.) The MEA plan includes ALL school employees; Governor Granholm's plan is only intended for teachers, excluding ESP and administrators.
3.) The MEA plan is intended to keep the savings generated by the incentive at the local level; Governor Granholm's plan would require local school districts to share in the cost of the incentive by matching a portion of the State bonus.
In other Lobby Day events, 9GH had over 20 members and even a couple of area administrators attend lobbying activities. Groups were able to meet with the Representatives Calley and Huckleberry. We also visited their offices and met with their respective chief of staff. In the case of Rep. Calley, this was our second year visiting his office. 9 members were able to meet with Representative Calley at his office as well as during lunch. (We also meet with him the night before at the Leg Council held at the Corner Landing...lots of face time with Rep. Calley over the past 24 hours!) During these meetings, he stated that he is in support of the MEA version of the retirement stimulus.
All in all, Lobby Day was a success. For more info on Lobby Day, visit www.mea.org
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