Lawmakers React To The Governor's Education Spending Plan

Lawmakers in the Michigan House found things they liked and didn’t like in the governor’s proposed education funding plans laid out in his budget presentation Wednesday.

First the good. State Representative Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw, says a bump in the foundation level for per pupil spending will go a long way in helping districts on the bottom rung of the funding ladder.

He says the state has been trying to shrink that funding gap and this budget proposal brings that goal one step closer to reality.

Now the bad. House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, says he can’t quite wrap his mind around why the governor wants to raise the amount a university can increase tuition before it stands to lose some state funding.

Cotter says a tuition restraint cap of 4.8 percent is higher than years past.

Overall, the governor wants to increase K through 12 funding by $150 million and bump funding for colleges and universities by $61 million.