Dear Friend,

As Senate Republicans lead the charge for a balanced budget without tax increases, I wanted to take a moment to share the update below with you.

I hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend with family and friends, and I look forward to seeing you soon at GOP gatherings across Michigan.

All the best,

Mike Bishop
Senate Majority Leader &
Candidate for Attorney General

Senate Republicans prioritize education; pass School Aid budget with $11 per-pupil

Senate Republicans kept school funding a top priority by finalizing a K-12 budget by July 1, when the fiscal year starts for schools. This will give our schools financial certainty for the upcoming school year.

The School Aid budget agreement restores $11 per pupil to the current fiscal year budget and maintains that increase in the 2011 budget. This is great news for our schools and students. The $20 million increase for education is a significant step at a time when money for other departments is being cut to balance a $1.4 billion 2011 budget shortfall.

That shortfall is likely to explode to nearly $2 billion if the state loses $560 million in federal Medicaid funds. While approving a K-12 budget is a positive step for Michigan, Senate Republicans know it is only part of a larger budget picture still to be finished.

Senate Republicans passed a complete budget in May that balanced the state’s deficit without raising taxes. Republicans will continue to fight for fiscal responsibility and urge the House to approve the total Senate budget plan.

In the School Aid agreement, Senate Republicans secured a pledge from House leadership to try to move the Senate-led state employee retirement reform, which could save the state $98 million in 2011.

The plan also leaves a $236 million balance in the School Aid Fund. As we finish the rest of the 2011 budget and address the $300 million shortfall in the current 2010 budget, lawmakers will decide whether to hold the surplus in reserve or use it to prevent drastic, end-of-the-year cuts to other programs.

Over the years lawmakers have taken more than $4.4 billion from other departments to help fund our schools, including last year when Senate Republicans cut various state departments up to 27 percent to allow us to keep the funding reduction to schools at less than 3 percent.

House and Senate Democrats want to raise taxes or borrow money to balance the budgets, but Senate Republicans will continue to fight them.

Paid for by Mike Bishop for Attorney General
P.O. Box 13292
Lansing, MI 48901