Introduced
by
To require the legislature to ensure beginning in Fiscal Year 2007-2008 that the difference between the total state and local tax revenue available to school districts with the lowest level of revenue is no more than 10 percent less than the districts with the highest level. Any extra money after that time would have to be distributed in a way that closes that gap. Note: The way the bill is currently drafted, it would require an increase in school spending of some $11.197 billion. Absent cuts in other state spending, this would exceed the Headlee revenue cap by approximately $5 billion, and require either the sales tax or the income tax to be almost doubled, or some other comparable tax increase. The bill's sponsor informs MichiganVotes that the bill is not drafted correctly, however, and that his intention is only to close the gap between the state foundation grant portion of school funding, which would he says would cost approximately $300 million. See also House Joint Resolution T, which would amend the state constitution to do the same thing.
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations
Which adopted a substitute on Feb. 21 revising the bill so that it would no longer require an $11.2 billion spending increase.
