Snyder, GOP Budget Deal Reduces Per-Pupil Cuts

The governor and legislative leaders announced a tentative deal Thursday that would lessen planned cuts to schools and put aside money in the state's rainy day funds.

Gov. Rick Snyder, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and House Speaker Jase Bolger made the announcement in Lansing.

The terms of the deal include:

• A per-pupil cut that would be less than $100. The original cut proposed by Snyder was to be $300 per student. Last year, the state cut $170 from per pupil funding.
• $310 million in funding for K-12 schools more than was originally proposed. $150 million of that would be distributed on a per-pupil basis to districts that meet "financial best practice measures." The schools would also get a one-time $160 million to help defray retirement system costs.
• $30 million in additional funding for local governments, half of which goes to cities, villages and townships as part of the Economic Vitality Incentive grants, and the other half going for county revenue sharing.
• $50 million for the Michigan Strategic Fund for economic development activities, including brownfield redevelopment and historic preservation incentives. 
• A $25 million cap on incentives for the film industry.
• Money for the state's rainy day funds, including $255 million for the  Budget Stabilization Fund and $133 million to a School Aid Fund reserve account.

The governor had asked legislators for a deal by May 31.

"We will have a timely, balanced budget in place so that our municipal and school partners can accurately plan for the coming year, avoiding the chaos that too often has been foisted upon them due to Lansing's inaction," Snyder said in a statement.

To brace for the budget cuts, Wyandotte school officials had for the next school year. School superintendent Patricia Cole said at the time they hoped "that we will get positive budget clarification prior to the end of the school year and be able to recall some of the teachers.”

Wyandotte officials had expected to lose as much as $3 million in the 2011-12 budget under Snyder's original proposal.

Patch will continue to follow Wyandotte Public Schools' process as leaders decide how the governor and legislators' deal will affect the final budget.