Granholm to veto Promise elimination, fight for education funding
By Marissa Cumbers (Last updated: 10/01/09 11:07pm)Gov. Jennifer Granholm vowed Thursday to veto any state budget agreement that eliminates the Michigan Promise Scholarship and deep cuts to spending for schools and public safety after legislators missed the Oct. 1 deadline to settle the budget.
The state House and Senate failed to settle the state’s $2.8 billion deficit Wednesday and the state shut down for two hours Thursday. As a compromise, the Legislature and governor agreed on a 30-day budget released by the Senate. The temporary budget will continue state spending at last year’s rates with some additional cuts giving legislators one month to agree on how to balance the $40 billion budget.
Granholm said in a press conference Thursday the additional 30 days will allow her to carefully examine all of the budget bills. The goal is to create a balanced budget that keeps police officers and fire fighters employed, creates new jobs and helps residents afford college, she said.
“The budget the Legislature has passed failed to do all of these essential things,” Granholm said. “That’s why I will continue to fight for the right budget for Michigan.”
Throughout the day Thursday, the House and the Senate were back in session working toward a budget for the governor to sign.
“Well, we are bouncing things back and forth between the House and the Senate right now,” State Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said. “We have just seen a report that the governor already doesn’t like some of it and has threatened to veto some of our work.”
Prior to passing the temporary budget bill, both the House and the Senate approved a higher education budget that cuts the Michigan Promise Scholarship and eliminates $60 million in financial aid. Cutting the scholarship saves about $140 million.
A bill introduced by the state House last week could restore $120 million to the scholarship, but there is no way to fund it at this point, said state Rep. Joan Bauer, D-Lansing. Possible sources of revenue could include a tax on pop and water bottles.
“I am still working really hard to be sure that we get the supplemental funded to be sure we can live up to that promise,” Bauer said.
State Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, who voted to cut the Promise, was unable to be reached for comment.
Experts have said reinstatement of the Promise by the Republican-led Senate is unlikely, leaving 50,000 Michigan college students hanging in the balance.
“I said I would use every tool at my power including veto to keep the Promise,” Granholm said.
Last year, MSU received about $44 million from the state to distribute in financial aid, said Val Meyers, associate director of the MSU Office of Financial Aid.
MSU Trustee Donald Nugent said not knowing where the university stands with the state budget is frustrating, because the university needs to know how it will proceed with finances.
“Just not knowing — not having a set plan to work by — is very difficult,” he said.
For some students, the main frustration revolves around the uncertainty of the Promise funding.
“It’s the Michigan Promise. They promised students they could have these scholarships; they should keep it,” elementary education senior Rachael
Kime said.
Dan Jakeway
10/02/09 8:40amThanks Jenny, you could have told everyone your intentions of vetoing I don’t know, maybe a month ago. You are just as incompetent and opportunistic as the Legislature for this.
But, if you had told everyone of your intention to veto, you could have been afraid that Andy Dillon would rally enough Democrats in the House to lead a political coup to override your veto.
Just so everyone knows, the Democratic Party of Michigan is so dysfunctional that the #1 Democratic legislator Andy Dillon is at odds with the governor.
Kelsey
10/02/09 9:38amI’m so fed up with the state of Michigan and it’s government. I just want my scholarship money. This is the last year I would be receiving it. Just give me my last payment and let me move on. It’s so stressful, trying to scramble to pay tuition by the deadline, when I know I could have had no problems, had I still been awarded my PROMISE scholarship.
broncogold
10/02/09 3:02pmThe state legislature does not care about public education in Michigan..Our school is averaging 34 kids per class and has nothing but bare bones..I would like to see any of thse legislators teach a Jr. High class that big..Oh, but make sure you pass that High Stakes test. Put a tax on food..everyone buys it..The only tax breaks they want are tose to the wealthy..they could care less about the schools..in fact , I think they want mass failure. What a joke !!
Dan Jakeway
10/02/09 7:32pmThe State House is the tax-writing body. Where are their tax bills? Oh yeah, that’s right, they talk the talk, but when it came to raising the state income tax from 4.35% to 4.8% it was defeated in the Senate with all but 2 Democratic senators voting against it. The Democrats would prefer to obfuscate taxes through Orwellian “revenue enhancements” like more sinful lotteries, vending machine taxes, bottled water taxes, and live event taxes.
Just call it a tax you cowards. Just so everyone knows, a graduated state income tax is unconstitutional. There have never been and never will be the votes to amend the state constitution to tax the rich on a percentage basis more.
Not accurate
10/04/09 1:30amGranholm was specifically asked if she was prepared to veto any bill which included cutting the Promise Scholarship. She replied that she was not prepared to make that statement. The press conference was played live online, did this reporter actually go?
Dawn Andrews
10/08/09 6:16pmI have twin boys in their junior year at Western Michigan University our budget included the Michigan promise that is minus 4,000 dollars for next semesters tuition. With the economy that’s alot of money, Students need the support of their parents and the government. Give a scholarship than take it back what does that say about the State of Michigan,,,,,,,,,,,,,