Michigan public school officials are reacting to news that there could be “devastating” cuts to school budgets next year.
Bridge Magazine first reported comments from Republican state Senator Wayne Schmidt suggesting school districts might see cuts of between 10-30% because of the coronavirus.
Schmidt, who chairs the K-12 appropriations subcommittee, said sales tax is a huge component of school aid funding and given the pandemic, there isn’t much selling taking place.
“However if we can get the economy going whether it’s in Northern Michigan, the upper peninsula, anywhere in the state for that matter, that will make a huge impact on the revenues of the state.”
Schmidt said the state needs to prepare for the worst - and shouldn’t expect federal assistance in balancing its budget.
“We’ve seen the challenges they are facing in Washington DC,” he said. “To place bets on whether they’re going to give us a bunch of money with no strings attached I think is very naive.”
Brian Pearson is the Superintendent of Gaylord Community Schools. He said there’s no question those kinds of cuts will impact staff.
“You can’t make cuts without reducing, freezing salaries making some reductions in staff. There’s only so much you can cut with tables and chairs.”
The budget shortfall is still preliminary. A spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget said they will have a clearer picture on Friday after the revenue estimating conference.
But, the spokesperson said, devastating cuts to education and other key priorities are a “real possibility.”