Mich: K-12 schools feel squeezed by state budget uncertainty

More bad news for the horrible economy in Michigan. Here is a plan: reduce spending in unnecessary areas such as pet projects, raise the gasoline tax 2 to 3 cents a gallon for the next 5 years and raise the cigarette tax at least 50 cents; nothing less than that. I would also add an additional tax on alcohol. You can choose to agree with me or not. Nobody likes raising taxes, but we cannot allow the education of our children to suffer. Our children are the future of our great state and if we allow them to suffer so we can keep a few extra bucks in our pocketbooks; then there is seriously something wrong with all of us. It is going to take time for Michigan to rebound from the horrible economic situation that we are currently in. Even if Dick DeVos was elected Governor, he would be dealing with the same difficulties as Gov. Granholm. Democrats and Republicans: Let me repeat...we would be in the same boat with either person in charge of our state. Don't fool yourself.

On with the story.

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LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Continuing financial difficulty at many of Michigan's public schools are magnified this summer because of uncertainty about the state government budget for next fiscal year.
Some Michigan school districts are laying off teachers or not hiring replacements for those who retire.
More Michigan districts are turning to private fundraisers and fees to help pay for sports programs, marching bands and field trips.
And more districts are searching for ways to share services and possibly save money on busing, custodial services and other support programs.
The state's K-12 schools were forced to set their budgets for the upcoming school year without knowing how much money they'll get from the state in the fiscal year that begins in October.
The estimates vary greatly: from losing 50 per pupil to getting an additional $150 per pupil, but that's largely just guesswork based on a wide variety of budget scenarios.
"This is the toughest start to a year I can think of in the last 20 years," said Richard Syrek, the former Swan Valley School District superintendent who recently became the CEO of the Saginaw Intermediate School District. "We just don't know anything about how much money we're going to receive."
Some K-12 districts are making cuts, at least partially because of the budget uncertainty. But some of the reduced spending and conservative planning comes because of falling enrollment or a continuation of the financial pressure that has built in districts over the past few years of tight state funding.
There are so many out-of-work Michigan teachers that a few states, including Arizona and South Carolina, have recruited here to fill their own vacancies. The city of Saginaw's school district could cut more than 100 jobs entering next school year. Northville has doubled participation fees for sports and could lay off 10 teachers.

Read the story in the DetroitNews.