Gov. Whitmer travels to Flint to take money away from Genesee County schools

State Rep. David Martin today expressed confusion over Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to stage a photo opportunity in Flint while signing a new education budget that contains devastating cuts to the local community.

The budget includes an enormous cut to a program local school districts rely on to hire school resource officers and counselors, heighten security measures, and expand mental health programming. School leaders say the massive reduction will lead to layoffs and program cuts.

Martin, R-Davison, opposed the budget, which slashed per-pupil school safety grants by 92%, leaving only $26.5 million after a $300 million cut.

“These cuts deal a devastating blow to schools in Genesee County and throughout Michigan,” Martin said. “Schools cannot function properly without adequate funding for safety and mental health. These budget cuts recklessly and unnecessarily put our children at risk.”

Collectively, schools in Genesee County are expected to lose about $11.7 million as a result of these cuts.

Data compiled by the House Fiscal Agency illustrates how much funding Genesee County school districts and charter schools are set to lose, based on the latest school count numbers:

The budget also provides no increase to core per-pupil school funding for the first time since 2011.

“When you account for inflation, it’s essentially a decrease,” Martin said. “School leaders have already made it clear that this will lead to cuts and layoffs. That means larger class sizes, fewer resources, and less opportunities for our kids to succeed.”

The budget also raids teachers’ retirement accounts to the tune of $670 million.

Meanwhile, the two state budget bills spend more than $400 million on pet projects. Even private organizations are getting “education” earmarks, such as the Detroit Opera ($800,000), Detroit Science Center ($500,000), Downtown Boxing Gym ($1 million), and the Marygrove Film School ($2.1 million).

The education budget was negotiated between the governor and the Democrats who control the Legislature, passing along purely partisan lines.

 “The Democrats’ priorities are misplaced, and it’s our kids who are paying the price,” Martin said. “We must demand better for our schools, our teachers, and most importantly, our children.”

Following the passage of the budget, the Michigan Education Association even issued a public statement calling for the Legislature to rethink the school safety cuts and pass supplemental funding to back student mental health and safety efforts.

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