| Welcome to Livonianeighbors.com. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. To ensure your privacy, never use personal information in your screen name or email address ("janedoe@hotmail.com" or "Billysmom" for example). Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Wait and See? or Act on It? | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Oct 27 2009, 10:54 PM (388 Views) | |
| one_observer | Oct 27 2009, 10:54 PM Post #1 |
|
Advanced Member
  ![]](http://209.85.48.16/static/1/pip_r.png)
|
Schools await final word on cuts By Karen Smith • OBSERVER STAFF WRITER • October 25, 2009 Officials in Livonia and Clarenceville school districts are taking a wait-and-see approach with the cuts announced this week in Lansing. Advertisement “We went from $2.7 million to $10 million in a week. It's just remarkable,” Livonia Superintendent Randy Liepa said Friday. On Monday, Gov. Jennifer Granholm vetoed a portion of the public school budget, cutting $316 per student to Livonia and $319 per student to Clarenceville this school year. That was on top of $165-per-student cuts that had already been announced. On Thursday, she cut another $127 per student. That cut will take effect in the Dec. 20 school aid payment unless legislators agree to raise taxes within 30 days. For Livonia, the cuts total $10 million, the equivalent of more than 100 teachers or more than the district spends per year on its entire transportation department. Livonia has a $160 million budget. For Clarenceville, the cuts total $1.15 million. That district has a $19 million budget. Both Liepa and Dave Bergeron, assistant superintendent for Clarenceville, said it's too soon to start cutting programs and personnel, given the ongoing fight over the state budget. Bergeron said officials have to wait to see if the cuts are real or political gamesmanship. Liepa said school children are being put in the middle of the fight. “I've felt that way since last Monday.” The Livonia school board will talk about the issue at a committee meeting Monday. The Clarenceville board has a study session scheduled for 5 p.m. Nov. 12. Following Monday's line-item veto, Liepa received a personal visit from Granholm, a phone call from Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and a call from one of House Speaker Andy Dillon's staffers with all of them saying the same thing: They want to restore school funding. Now, he said, he's going to hold them accountable. “We expect them to step up and get it done,” Liepa said. Because of its enrollment, Livonia was the hardest hit of all school districts in the state by the veto, Liepa said. The district will lose $5 million in 20J categorical funding. Granholm dropped by Liepa's office about noon Wednesday, unannounced and by herself, asking for five minutes of his time. Liepa and the governor met privately in his office, with her explaining she's not out to pick on districts that receive 20J funding and she wants to get the issue resolved, Liepa said. Advertisement Granholm has been quoted in news reports defending her veto, saying Republican Senate leaders reneged on a promise to fill a gap in state spending, leaving a $60 million hole in the education budget. The governor told Liepa she hoped he would communicate with everybody the reasons for her decision. “Ultimately, she was the one who signed the veto,” he said. “I still expect her to take responsibility for the issue; we're not about the politics.” With calls also from Bishop and Dillion's office, Liepa said he has now heard from all the major players in Lansing. But, he said, they remain in opposition over how they're going to restore funding. “They need to get together and figure it out,” he said. Liepa said he told the governor “kids need to be out of politics in Lansing.” Livonia and neighboring Clarenceville are among about 50 school districts in the state that have received 20J funding since Proposal A was approved 16 years ago to help them maintain programs at their previously funded levels. Liepa said the state shouldn't be pitting school districts against school districts. Liepa said he is thankful for the outpouring of support from parents and community members, who are contacting the governor and lawmakers and asking them to restore the funding. He said the phone calls from Bishop and Dillon were likely in response to those e-mails, letters and phone calls. He said Granholm was contacting superintendents of 20J districts. Liepa attended the Livonia City Council meeting Wednesday night to encourage city officials and Livonia residents to contact Granholm, Bishop and Dillon. Residents can visit www.lps.org for information, Liepa said. “Our message is ‘stop playing political games with our children,'” Liepa said. Liepa added that the district faced an uphill battle, but he expressed appreciation of the efforts of city officials and their Lansing connections. “We've had an impact in a short period of time,” Liepa told the council and the residents. Mayor Jack Kirksey told the council he wanted to prepare a resolution for their approval to forward to the governor. — Staff writer Ken Abramczyk contributed to this report http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20091025/NEWS10/910250455/1027/Schools+await+final+word+on+cuts Livonia Schools to discuss possible cuts By Karen Smith • Observer Staff Writer • October 27, 2009 What if the state doesn’t find revenue to rescind cuts to schools, forcing Livonia Public Schools to slash $10 million from this year’s budget? That’s what the Livonia school board will discuss during a committee of the whole meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. “The state is broke,” Trustee Steve King said Monday at the school board’s first meeting since Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced surprise cuts in per-pupil funding last week. “What are we going to do as a board?” He said parents need to know what their children’s education will look like if the funding is not restored. Trustee Patrice Mang agreed, adding the board needs to take “a tough look in the mirror” and decide which cuts would impact student learning the least. “We’re going to have to have what-if discussions,” she said. But Trustee Robert Freeman said such discussions are premature. He said someone at the state level will cave in the political fight that has put Michigan’s public school students in the middle. “Certainly the sky is falling, but it’s not Armageddon,” he said. Superintendent Randy Liepa said administrators would have enough time to gather information for a meeting on Nov. 9 after King, Mang and Vice President Gregory Oke said they thought the board should start talking about possible reductions. On Oct. 19, Granholm vetoed a portion of the public school budget, cutting $316 per student to Livonia and $319 per student to Clarenceville this school year in 20j funding. That was on top of $165-per-student cuts that had already been announced. Three days later, she cut another $127 per student for all districts. That cut will take effect in the Dec. 20 school aid payment unless legislators agree to raise taxes within 30 days. For Livonia, the cuts total $10 million, the equivalent of more than 100 teachers or more than the district spends per year on its entire transportation department. Livonia has a $160 million budget. For Clarenceville, the cuts total $1.15 million. That district has a $19 million budget. The Clarenceville board has scheduled a study session scheduled for 5 p.m. Nov. 12. In the meantime, Liepa urged parents to continue contacting state lawmakers with the message, “Do not play politics with our children.” The superintendent said he hopes a supplemental appropriations bill is approved to cover both of last week’s cuts. Both state Rep. John Walsh and state Sen. Glenn Anderson attended the Livonia school board meeting Monday. Walsh said state income is down 23 percent this year and is projected to be down another 20 percent next year because of people losing their jobs and businesses closing. He said other state budgets, like human services, were cut as much as 30 percent, compared with the school aid budget, which was cut 3 percent. “There’s very little room to move,” he said. He said lawmakers are looking at freezing the earned income tax credit, among other revenue generators. Walsh said he favors using additional federal stimulus money to offset the school cuts this year since school districts are already four months into their budget years. He said most superintendents would rather have use of that money now and then plan ahead for next year. “It’s really a question of when do you want to take your pain,” he said. Anderson told the board he is disappointed and concerned by the series of recent blows dealt to K-12 education funding, which he called unimaginable and devastating to Livonia Public Schools. He said he will continue to work with Liepa, Walsh and members of the legislature on both sides of the aisle to mitigate the funding cuts. ksmith@hometownlife.com | http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20091027/NEWS10/91027014/1027/Livonia-Schools-to-discuss-possible-cuts |
 |
 
|
| Purple Haze | Oct 28 2009, 10:54 AM Post #2 |
|
Advanced Member
|
well, Rob, if it's not Armageddon, why is LPS in such a snit with petitions and such? |
|
|
|
| Jimid | Oct 28 2009, 11:57 AM Post #3 |
Advanced Member
|
There really is no precedent for what is going on. No one can say for sure someone at that state level will cave in this time around. Some money may make its way back, but it wont be any where near all the money in my opinion. Budget predictions for next year are no better, so if it isn't Armageddon this year, it very well could be when we are all up in arms again this time next year. Seroius, serious reform had better happen over the next 12 months. |
|
|
|
| Jimid | Oct 28 2009, 12:09 PM Post #4 |
|
Advanced Member
|
Here is the video from the Monday, October 26, Board Meeting. Its an important meeting to watch. http://www.livoniapublicschools.org/videos.cfm?channelID=1&categoryID=12 Edited by Jimid, Oct 28 2009, 12:09 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Mrs.M | Oct 29 2009, 04:50 PM Post #5 |
|
Advanced Member
|
I've been thinking about the drastic cuts lately and I really believe the whole episode was based on a shock jock mentality. Kids and animals have always been the determining factor for the 'importance' of a news story. Bear with me, (you do not know either of the missing people.) Which is more concerning... a missing 5 or 12 year old OR a missing 50 or 62 year old Animals - remember the outpouring of support for the house of dogs in Dearborn/DH? puppies, pets, and pictures There is mostly an inherent interest and attention given to children and animals. The districts are quick to say the children, protect our children. It's all politics and doing or saying whatever is necessary to get the other side of the aisle to 'surrender'. Whenever I use that word. I picture the cloud writing in Wizard of Oz. Edited by Mrs.M, Oct 29 2009, 04:52 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Mrs.M | Oct 29 2009, 06:40 PM Post #6 |
|
Advanced Member
|
Superintendent speaks in Lansing http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20091029/NEWS12/910290387/1029 The following is the testimonial given by Dr. Leonard Rezmierski, superintendent of Northville Public Schools, given in Lansing Wednesday afternoon. As an educator for more than 40 years and Superintendent of Northville Public Schools for 19 years, I am distressed by the cavalier attitude our state lawmakers have toward the education of Michigan’s school children. You are using Michigan’s public school children as political pawns – as you point fingers and blame each other for our state’s economic problems – and it has to stop! Each day in our classrooms, we ask our students to take responsibility for their learning and their actions, but as our elected leaders you are not meeting your responsibilities to Michigan’s school children. I appear before you today as the Superintendent of the school district – if all the current funding cuts stand – that will experience the highest per pupil funding cut in the state at $613 per student, or $4.3 million. To put this into perspective, $4.3 million in our school district of 7,000 students and 497 teachers is the equivalent to the annual salary and benefits of more than 60 Northville teachers. Or, the same as the cost of the district’s K-12 transportation program ($2 million annually) in combination with our elementary art, music, foreign language and physical education programs ($2.3 million annually). At the time Proposal A was passed, the legislature and the governor assured everyone that the state would continue to provide enough financial resources to continue the state’s high quality public education programs while also increasing the resources of those districts with lower property tax revenues. Thus, districts like ours, who were fortunate to have had property values above the base foundation grant, were “held harmless” through the 20j allocation while the foundation allowance was increased for districts without the same property values. That was the promise of Proposal A. Last week’s line item veto of the “held harmless” 20j funding is disproportionately unfair to 39 Michigan school districts and effectively pits 20j school districts against non-20j school districts as we all struggle to protect the resources needed to educate the children in our communities. For Northville, the loss of 20j funding equals a $321 per pupil cut or $2.2 million in lost revenues. Over the past eight years, as Michigan’s economy has declined, the state has twice issued mid-year executive order cuts in school funding and for nearly a decade the state’s funding allocation to schools (even in years when there were per pupil funding increases) has not kept pace with the cost of operating a school system. Most recently, in June 2009, our Board of Education approved $1.1 million in budget reductions for the 2009-10 school year in response to rising costs and declining financial resources. And this was before the October financial tsunami in which the Governor and the Legislature issued a combination of $292 in statewide per pupil funding cuts. And the Governor eliminated 20j allocations all in the span of 10 days. Exacerbating the impact of these funding cuts is the fact that they come nearly four months after Michigan school districts have approved their balanced budgets for the 2009-10 school year (as required by state law); and more than a quarter of the way into the current school year. We have teachers and students in classrooms, buses on the roads, school buildings to heat, and vendors to pay all based on the state’s prediction regarding per pupil funding levels made back in June. We didn’t see this coming…..not this year. We are mindful of the challenges our state faces in restructuring its economy. We understand that many people have lost jobs and are living on reduced incomes. We all need to sacrifice and continue to find efficiencies in our operations if we are to be good stewards of the public trust. Over the past several years of strategic budgetary planning by the Northville School Board – targeted away from the classroom to the extent possible – we have saved money through shared purchasing and implementation of an energy conservation program. Additionally, our custodial staff has been reduced; supply budgets and transportation services have been cut; pay to participate athletic fees increased; and reductions in support staff have been made over time. As our state’s legislative leaders, you have the ability to spare public schools these draconian cuts, by restoring 20j funding as well as the other reductions in school funding, and fulfilling your promise to Michigan students by raising the $100 million in new revenues needed to balance the state budget. At this late date, it is impossible to make reductions in any coherent manner. Use Federal Stimulus money now to allow us the opportunity to plan for reductions in next year’s budget. I also implore you to use this time to fix the structural problems in the state’s current school funding process and ensure Michigan public school children receive a level of education that can only come with a stable and predictable school-funding source. During these challenging times in our nation, our state and our communities our young people offer hope for a brighter future. They are the leaders, the innovators, the teachers of tomorrow. And they will change the world. Our democracy now more than ever depends on successfully educating every child. We know how to do it, but we need the resources and we need leaders who are willing to make the tough decisions. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who overcame division to unite us for the common cause of equality: “The time is always right to do what is right.” Our common cause is Michigan school children…and their education is right now! Please, on their behalf, do what is right. |
|
|
|
| George | Oct 31 2009, 08:36 AM Post #7 |
|
Advanced Member
|
Liepa better wake up on this one. The 20J districts are not a concern for the majority of the other school districts around the state. There are 52(?) districts that received this additional money, the rest had to make due with what they were given. Do you think that the Representatives and Senators from all these other areas really give a rats *s* about the 20J's? I don't think so, I'm sure they are saying it's about time they lived within their means.... Randy better start thinking about what he has to do to support this district before we DO run out of money. His focus should be on reopening union contracts and figuring out how to make due with what we have. The state's money won't be there to support all the high paying LPS salaries of the employees making over $80,000.00.  |
|
|
|
| BoaterDan | Nov 5 2009, 09:14 PM Post #8 |
|
Advanced Member
|
Well, we have to remember that Freeman is one of two trustees that gave a big speech about the perilous financial situation of the district... and then voted to approve another deficit budget. I think we're seeing the pattern that the general mentality there is "this is really REALLY serious, but let's see how long we can wait to do something about it." |
|
|
|
| LPS Reformer | Nov 5 2009, 09:28 PM Post #9 |
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
I've heard that Randy will not be presenting a plan to reuce the budget. Apparently he only intends to show the BOE what everything costs, and then let them be the ones to cut jobs/wages. Leadership is a mighty rare commodity at LPS. |
 LPS Reform Blog++++LPS Salary List 12/07 LPS Salary List 6/09 Contact me at: LPSReformer@gmail.com | |
|
|
|
| LPS Reformer | Nov 5 2009, 09:30 PM Post #10 |
|
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
The median teacher makes approx 85k. The cuts will have to include the teachers as well as the Amins. But don't expect Randy to be the one to tell them that. |
|
LPS Reform Blog++++LPS Salary List 12/07 LPS Salary List 6/09 Contact me at: LPSReformer@gmail.com | |
|
|
|
| « Previous Topic · Livonia Neighbors Forum · Next Topic » |
