Superintendents Dismayed Over K-12 Cuts

Lansing (WWJ/AP)  -- There's nothing left to cut. That's what local school officials are saying about Governor Granholm's order to cut nearly $52 million out of the budget for 39 of the state's biggest districts.

In Livonia, Superintendent Dr. Randy Liepa says the district can't cut money it's already spent, "Our school have started. Our programs are set. Our plans are made for this year," Liepa said.

"To heard this morning that, on top of a $2.7 million cut, we're going to to be looking at an additional $5 million cut on top of that --  it's going to be virtually impossible for us to ballance $7.7 million with the rest of the school year," he said.

"They are playing chicken with the lives and education of our students," said Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Susan Zurvalec Tuesday, just one day after Governor Granholm vetoed K-12 school aid payments to school districts that get among the highest per-pupil payments statewide.

The cut will cost 39 school districts about $51.6 million.

Speaking live on WWJ Newsradio 950 Tuesday morning, Governor Granholm and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop conducted a war of words over the decision. 

Listen to the interview: 

"The Senate majority wrote a check but they didn't make a deposit into the bank to cover it, so I'm sending the bill back to them to fix this basic math problem," Granholm said. 

The Governor said the Senate promised to raise $100 million to fund public schools but  didn't do it. 

"She's using schools to extort tax votes," Bishop said.  "It's just not going to solve the problem."  He claims tax increases in the past haven't worked. 

More from Mike Bishop: 

No matter, school administrators, like Zurvalec, are scrambling to find replacements for money they've already spent. 

"Our teacher contracts are already in place, most of our budget about 85% of it goes to salaries and wages we can't cut," Zurvalec said.  She added it's not right to cut teachers in the middle of the year. 

School districts are at a disadvantage because their fiscal years begin July 1st before the state budget is finalized. 

Livonia, Dearborn, Walled Lake and Warren Consolidated are among the Metro Detroit districts losing the most money. 

Here's a list of the districts affected and the estimated aid involved, according to the Associated Press:
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   - Ann Arbor Public Schools, $3,714,952
   - Avondale School District, $1,116,896
   - Bangor Township School District 8, $6,342
   - Birmingham City School District, $955,748
   - Bloomfield Hills School District, $612,969
   - Bridgman Public Schools, $289,656
   - Burt Township School District, $11,780
   - Centerline Public Schools, $569,700
   - City of Harper Woods Schools, $390,420
   - Clarenceville School District, $563,673
   - Colfax Township School District 1F, $6,575
   - Dearborn City School District, $4,921,715
   - East Lansing School District, $1,042,480
   - Farmington Public School District, $2,202,803
   - Grosse Ile Township Schools, $513,106
   - Grosse Pointe Public Schools, $1,613,700
   - Jefferson Schools-Monroe County, $298,894
   - Lamphere Public Schools, $455,775
   - Livonia Public Schools, $4,922,693
   - Melvindale Allen Park Schools, $726,240
   - Midland Public Schools, $2,418,890
   - Northville Public Schools, $2,237,370
   - Novi Community Schools, $1,698,083
   - Oneida Township School District 3, $2,016
   - Port Hope Community Schools, $26,448
   - Republic Michigamme Schools, $37,224
   - River Rouge City Schools, $272,583
   - Romulus Community Schools, $1,027,393
   - Saugatuck Public Schools, $240,900
   - School District City of Royal Oak, $1,498,068
   - South Lake Schools, $587,972
   - Southfield Public School District, $1,284,103
   - Trenton Public Schools, $755,250
   - Troy Public School District, $2,958,888
   - Walled Lake Consolidated School District, $4,719,511
   - Warren Consolidated Schools, $3,756,095
   - Warren Woods Public Schools, $869,670
   - Waverly Schools, $780,725
   - West Bloomfield School District, $1,479,926

Michigan is operating under a temporary deal that expires Oct. 31. Granholm has said limited tax and fee increases are needed in a yearlong budget to pay for college scholarships, Medicaid, K-12 education and money local governments use for police and fire protection. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop has said he sees no need for additional tax revenue.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop has sent six budget bills to the governor on Tuesday. More on this.

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