By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-910674.mp3
LANSING, MI –
Governor Granholm says she will sign the school aid budget that was adopted by the Legislature as districts begin their fiscal year. As Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta reports, now she wants lawmakers to tap a projected surplus in the School Aid Fund to avert cuts to higher education.
AUDIO:
Governor Granholm says she's pleased K-12 schools won't face a new round of cuts this year because the School Aid Fund is flush with money. She says public universities and community colleges are also part of the state's education infrastructure. The Michigan Constitution allows the School Aid Fund to be used for higher education, and the governor says she hopes lawmakers will recognize that universities and community colleges deserve some of that money.
"We can get there if we're rational, and truly, if the schools are getting an increase at this time, I think they're very grateful for that and, hopefully, they'll be able to understand why we want to protect higher education, as well," she says.
The governor says Michigan needs to keep post-high school education available and affordable. K-12 officials say that surplus is owed to districts to make up for last year's cuts to schools.