Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is taking heat for cutting $1 billion from the state budget that included several line-item vetoes of education funding, according to one state senator.
The governor recently announced 147 line-item vetoes totaling $947 million from the $59 billion budget that passed both chambers of the legislature. It was a move that has provoked sharp criticism from Republican representatives and senators.
"The governor made a mistake in vetoing $38 million in tuition grant money providing need-based scholarships for undergraduate students," Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) told the North Michigan News. The grant money is awarded to those attending private colleges.
Michigan state Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington)
| https://senatorcurtvanderwall.com
"Financial aid packages are awarded in the spring, and switching the grant allocation mid-year will financially burden and harm thousands of students in Michigan," VanderWall said. "Similarly, the governor’s veto of $10 million for the Secure Schools program — including $3.8 million for 'Panic Button' implementation — means children may be less safe in schools."
The senator was also critical of overall cuts to the K-12 budget, which totaled $15.2 billion, or a 2-percent increase year over year.
"I am happy with the School Aid budget we sent the governor," VanderWall said. "It was a historic increase in funding and would have invested more than $15.2 billion in K-12 education."
This would have meant an increase of more than $2.2 billion in school funding since fiscal year 2011, the senator said.
"It is unfortunate the governor vetoed more than $128 million of the K-12 budget and that over a quarter of her vetoes pertained to K-12 funding," VanderWall said. "This will not serve our children well."
Other funding vetoes include an extra $35 million in foundation allowances for charter schools, $16 million for career and technical education equipment, and $1.6 million for "strict-discipline academies."
The governor, who was not involved in the later-stage budget negotiations after talks broke down over road funding, said she wanted to work with the legislature to pass a supplementary budget to increase money for prisoner rehabilitation, reading coaches and tuition-free programs for non-traditional students. Whitmer also said in a press conference that she was open to reversing some of the vetoes following negotiations.
However, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said that Whitmer "has not helped her relationship" with the legislature following her use of line-item veto power.
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