IN
THIS UPDATE:
2007-08
BUDGET DEAL?
SERVICE
TAX
RECALL
EFFORTS BEGIN
MEAP
RETAKE SCHEDULED
SCHIP
VOTE IN THE HOUSE - PRESIDENT TO VETO (AGAIN)
2007-08
BUDGET DEAL?
As
of Friday, there's no deal. There's no agreement. Do not pass "go." Do not
report conference reports. Do not wander too far from the Capitol.
At
issue is where and how the state will slice out $435 million in budget cuts
required to balance the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 budget. The state's three leaders,
and their negotiating teams, agreed to those cuts (in a general sense) at the
end of September. Now, however,
with generalities in the past, the details of the cuts are being hashed,
rehashed and argued over. And while lawmakers and the administration argue over
the last couple details, virtually everything else is on hold, including the
K-12 Education Appropriations Budget.
The
Quasi good news is that the K-12 appropriations conference report is finished
and just needs to be moved out of committee. Items expected to be
in the report include:
·
Sets a new basic
foundation allowance for 2007-08 of $8433
·
Districts at or above
the new base will receive an increase of $48
·
Districts at the
2006-07 minimum of $7108 will receive $96
·
Districts in between
will receive an increase on a sliding scale based on the formula between $48 and
$96 per pupil
·
Increase in school
readiness per-child allocation from $3300 to $3400 per
slot
Please
click here for a detailed report. Right now it is difficult to determine if
the legislature will come to an agreement or if another continuation budget will
be authorized. When it does happen,
the linked document will likely be the finished result. MASA will continue to monitor this and
keep you posted.
SERVICE
TAX
It
appears that this topic may be revisited.
The Governor has indicated she is open to a change provided the new
option is at least revenue neutral.
Meetings have been scheduled with both the Detroit Regional Chamber and
the Michigan Chamber of Commerce for their input. Stay tuned.
RECALL
EFFORTS BEGIN
Petitions
have been filed against some of the legislators that supported at least one of
the two tax votes, with a possibility of more to come. As a 501 (c) 3 under federal tax
statute, MASA can't take positions or expend funds related to specific elected
officials and their recalls or regular elections. The rules MASA must follow are very
similar to local school districts.
SAPAC will be taking the lead on recalls.
Keep
in mind as these recalls move forward that no district funds or resources can be
used. Individuals on their own can
write to a newspaper, but school newsletters can't be used to advocate a
position on these elections. If you
follow the regulations related to bond issues you should be fine. More information to
follow.
MEAP
RETAKE SCHEDULED
With
the release of one of the questions on the MEAP test this week, Department of
Education officials are now reconsidering the three-week window schools now have
to administer the test.
The
Department of Education announced it is not giving districts a range of options
for administering the replacement question for the fifth and sixth grade MEAP
writing tests. The concern over
compromising the validity of the test and jeopardizing an ability to make AYP
was validated by the US Department of Education. The department Friday changed the test
schedule to November 7 to ensure security of the replacement question. The replacement writing test will be
taken by all students; including those who already took
it.
SCHIP
VOTE IN THE HOUSE - PRESIDENT TO VETO (AGAIN)
Even
though the House passed a revised version of SCHIP (the
Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization
Act) late this afternoon,
the vote - again - was insufficient to override the president's veto.
Additionally,
the bill also included a revised version of the moratorium on new regulations
limiting Medicaid reimbursement for school-based administrative and
transportation services. The moratorium in yesterday's bill extended the
moratorium until
Below
is the vote tally for the Michigan Delegation from the US House of
Representatives Office of the Clerk:
Yeas
- Bart Stupak, D-Bay
City; Vern Ehlers, R- Grand Rapids; Dale Kildee, D-Flint; Fred Upton, R-Grand
Rapids; Candice Miller, R- Harrison Twp.; Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak; Carolyn
Kilpatrick, D-Detroit; John Conyers, D-Detroit; John Dingell,
D-Detroit
Nays
- Peter Hoekstra,
R-Holland; David Camp, R-Midland; Tim Walberg, R-Tipton; Mike Rogers,
R-Brighton; Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills; Thaddeus McCotter,
R-Livonia
Director of
Government Affairs
Office:
517-327-9265
Cell:
517-281-5733