House votes to cut Michigan Promise Scholarship, reinstate with alternative funds
By Abby Lubbers (Last updated: 10/01/09 12:21am)The fate of the Michigan Promise Scholarship still hangs in the balance following three votes today in the Michigan House of Representatives and Senate.
The House voted today to pass a higher education package which includes cutting the scholarship, but this morning also passed a supplemental bill to reinstate the program with $120 million in as-yet-unidentified revenue.
The scholarship provides as much as $4,000 to Michigan college and university students based on their performance on the Michigan Merit Exam. More than 7,700 MSU students and 96,000 students statewide are eligible for the scholarship during the 2009-10 school year.
The higher education package to cut the scholarship passed by a 57-51 vote in the house and is awaiting finalization in the Senate, where it tentatively was passed this morning, but the 19-18 vote was put up for reconsideration.
The supplemental bill to reinstate the scholarship has been sent to the Senate, where it could be voted on later today.
The House also passed a continuation budget today that would avoid a government shutdown if lawmakers fail to reach a budget agreement by midnight. The continuation would extend 2009 spending levels through the end of October.
The continuation must be sent back to the Senate to be be given immediate effect before it can be sent to Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Without immediate effect, bills take 120 days to go into effect.
Originally Published: 09/30/09 3:06pm
Yo
09/30/09 7:33pmWhy is it that our newspapers only permit our State Legislature to exist in the public mind during times of crisis? I think many people would prefer to at least have a weekly presence or column dealing with the State Government in most if not all newspapers.
Mona
10/01/09 1:21amThe State of Michigan: Making “promises” it has no intention to keep.
Paul
10/02/09 10:42amWhy did I take the MEAP? I took the MEAP to be let down by a state that makes “promises.” I’m glad to see how much our state values the education of our future workforce. Hopefully the people who voted for the elimination make the budget when they are old, sick and we are in office.
Nola
10/02/09 11:44amThis scholarship was going to help me reduce my debt to college. My dad is soon to be unemployed again after working a temporary job, they can’t help me pay for anything. Why did I work so hard to pass all of those tests? I feel like my efforts are wasted. So much for Michigan’s “promise” to us.
Dan
10/02/09 4:15pmSome promise. I’m definitely moving far away from Michigan after college, anyway.
Maura
10/02/09 5:07pmI do not feel my efforts have been wasted with the test taking they made us do, but I am extremely disappointed in the mere simplicity that this was supposed to be a promise. As we all know, on paper, promises are something that are kept no matter what. I hope that the Senate will reconsider their decision. Also, if you are truly upset about this, do something! Write a letter to Governor Granholm letting her know how you feel!
Mel
10/02/09 10:16pmThis money is not a question of “want”. I NEED this money! I am paying for college all on my own and this money really would have helped. Now I am going to have to take out more loans and be put in an even bigger financial strain! I feel like they should change the name of it to the “Michigan Maybe Scholarship”.
juwi
10/04/09 1:15pmIt is pretty clear that the state can not promise anything more because the money is needed to pay for the boni of the bankers who who worked so hard to ruin the economy. And we have representatives who support that. We should remember those ones who have voted not to continue the Scholarship and are unable to see what is really important for the future – good education.
MI Promise Parent
10/05/09 5:31amRemember there are 96,000 students depending on this money ALL are voting age, plus all 96,000 student’s parents are voting age!! I will be watching how my REPRESENTATIVES vote on this bill and will be casting my VOTE come election time based on their ability to keep a PROMISE!!!!!!!
ashley
10/05/09 10:12amthis is supposed to be a “PROMISE” scholarship…give it to the people that have earned it and ALREADY have it PLANNED in their finances for college!!
Georgia
10/05/09 3:10pmMy Grandson worked hard to get this scholarship and MI now says NO!!
I lived in MI for over 35 years , my husband was born and raised there and my children and grandchildren still live there. Why, I will never know if they are to be treated like nothing.
MI knew it was in dire straits when they gave my Grandson this award and now they say they can’t afford it?? Well, what is different from today then last year when MI was broke!!! They are just as broke today as they were when they awarded all of these kids this scholarship. ...View full comment »
Matthew
10/05/09 11:11pmIt’s a shame that Michigan legislation feels as though they can cut the “promises” that they gave to students long ago.
Michigan wants to keep graduating seniors coming into the workforce and therefore stimulate the economy but then they just give those seniors a big slap across the face when they can’t foot the bill, expecting seniors to just take it and deal with it.
Well I can say this safely…because of the idiocy of Michigan’s big wigs they have just cost themselves the 90,000 students that had planned to stay in Michigan but now that they have been screwed they will probably go to other states to find hope and a future.
I was a long time resident of Michigan (24 years) but I recently moved to Colorado because the job market for K-12 education is very sparse to say the least.
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