Educators start drive to secure increases in state school funds

It's now official. We're going to have a school funding measure on the ballot.
From the Lansing State Journal

Initiative details

Here are some of the key provisions of the initiative petition drive launched Thursday by the K-16 Coalition for Michigan's Future.

• Public schools, community colleges and universities would get inflationary increases in state support annually.

• Their retirement costs would be capped at 14.87 percent of payroll. The state would pick up costs beyond that.

• The funding gap between districts would be reduced between 2007 and 2012.

• School funding formulas would be adjusted to help districts with declining enrollment.

I previously commented in detail about this "Pass the Buck" measure on July 28. This ballot initative is a tax increase in disguise, and does address the real problems of MESSA and healh care costs.

If the schools addressed their health costs, MESSA, and pension costs, I would be much more supportive. Instead all they do is ask us for more money to bail them out. That's not good enough.