Gov. Cuts Additional $5M From Dearborn Schools
With additional cuts of $5 million in funding for Dearborn Schools, the district is asking all of us to get involved by contacting Gov. Granholm’s office to voice our opinion and ask that all school districts across the state be cut the same per-pupil amount.
As many of us know by now, Gov. Granholm signed the state bill but vetoed the Dearborn School District’s 20J money, created in 1999 to ensure equal funding increases to all school districts. The loss of 20J will cost Dearborn $5 million. The total loss from the state aid cuts for 2009-2010 school year will be $9.5 million, equal to a $527 per student cut which looks like this:
• Foundation allowance per pupil: $3,000,000
• 31a at risk funds: $1,500,000
• 20j funds: $5,000,000
In an open letter to the district, Dearborn Schools Supt. Brian J. Whiston says that with the governor’s veto total cuts for the 2009-10 year will be $20.9 million, $9.5 million of which is attributed to the above state funding loss.
“Please remember, we are already a donor district and send $14M more to the state than the district gets back,” he says in his letter. “We are fortunate that we still are a very attractive district drawing over 400 additional students into our schools this year alone to bring us to 18,444, fourth largest in the State of Michigan. We cannot afford though to take the brunt end of this hit disproportionally more than most all other districts.”
As a bit of background, the district provided this synopsis for why the veto took place: Gov. Granholm has vetoed 20j funding as a strategy to get Senator Mike Bishop to agree to increases of revenue from specific taxes so to be able to fund this year’s state aid package which was most recently passed. Senator Bishop is a supporter of 20j funding, which goes to 43 districts, benefiting approximately 200,000 students.
So we really need to address letters to both Gov. Granholm and Sen. Bishop, urging them to do the right thing for the greater benefit of students and their education in Michigan.
You can call Gov. Granholm at 517-373-3400, fax her at 517-335-6863 and/or write her at:
Governor Jennifer Granholm, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, MI 48909
You can call Sen. Mike Bishop at 517-373-2417, fax him at 517-373-2694 and/or write him at:
Senator Mike Bishop, P.O. Box 30036, Lansing, MI 48909
October 22nd, 2009 at 7:48 am
What is described here is the Governor playing a dangerous game with the quality of schools in Dearborn and some other districts at stake. She wants to force legislators to raise taxes by pushing kids off a cliff. Is she willing to let Dearborn schools live with the consequences if they don’t? Vetoing these funds is all on the Governor, she didn’t have to, and she is risking our kids as part of a strategy … which may have sounded practical in their political strategy discussions, but is scaring the heck out of administrators and parents here.
Deep wrote we should contact Granholm and Bishop, urging “him” to do the right thing. I hope that was a slip and Deep meant to write “them.” “Him” didn’t veto the funding, and some could say “she” already did the wrong thing. Also, don’t forget the rest of the legislature has the collective ability to override the Governor’s veto of our school funding — maybe “they all” should do the right thing.
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:48 am
You missed the school board meeting. They already ‘found’ 7 million in cuts. Lots of pork in their budget.
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:50 am
Where does all this “found money” come from?
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:52 am
Everyone is complaining about Doug Thomas being homesteaded in both Florida and Michigan. What about Whiston? He has 100% homestead in Waterford as well as the house he bought in Dearborn OVER 1 YEAR AGO. They are in the same state and no one is saying a thing! He even ADMITS to NOT living in Dearborn YET. More fraud
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:47 am
Getting Screwed … big difference between Doug Thomas and Whiston. DT is legally required to live in Dearborn in order to hold his job as a city councilperson. Whiston is NOT legally required to live here … the fact that he has purchased a home in Dearborn (even though he’s not living here) is MUCH more that Artis ever did.
It would be nice if all the employees of our city and schools were required to live in Dearborn … we’d probably see a lot better quality in both of those things if they did. However, as it stands now, that’s not the way it works.
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Dearborn Mom – Whiston is only LEGALLY allowed to claim ONE home for homestead credit. Fraud from ANYONE in our City should concern you. Someone cheating on their taxes hurts the rest of us. We all have to pay our fair share. Why should the Superintendent be getting a break in 2 different cities? Two different counties? I guess cheating only bothers you if you don’t like the person.
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Correct, he shouldn’t be claiming homestead on two homes … I agree and never said I liked Whiston, just that he’s not required to live in Dearborn.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Have I missed something? Do we have any reason to think the superintendent claims homestead on two properties other than the statement by Getting Screwed?
October 25th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Don’t believe me, check it out for yourself. Both homes (Dearborn and Waterford) are 100% homesteaded. The home in Dearborn has been owned by him since August 2008 (well over a year) and HE ADMITS to not moved into it yet.
800 Mohawk Dearborn 48124 property id 32820920233014 Wayne County
152 Garland Way Waterford 48327 property id 1319454008 Oakland County
Be sure and clear my name after you have proof.
October 25th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I checked it out and he is right. Both homes show 100 percent homestead. He has learned to cheat the City even before moving in. What a guy!
October 26th, 2009 at 8:57 am
The Mohawk address shows a different name on the Wayne County tax site. And I’m still confused, where do you get the homestead information?
October 26th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Go to http://www.RussGibbatRandom.com
Whiston says now that he is busted, he will pay. Well, he didn’t admit it (not enough integrity) but one of his ‘friends’ did for him.
Now do you believe me?
October 28th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Getting Screwed –
1. Someone claiming to have spoken to Whiston (no idea if they actually did or not) posted on Russ Gibb’s blog, the person posted under the name Russ, was it Russ Gibb? I don’t know for certain, do you?
2. Whoever posted that said that Whiston would pay his homestead tax … isn’t that the point, he doesn’t live in Dearborn, he shouldn’t be paying NON homestead taxes for his Dearborn home?
3. Again, why is someone else listed on the Wayne County tax site for the Mohawk address?
4. Once again, could you or someone else please point me to where you get the homestead information for a particular home or owner?
October 28th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Happy Here
1.) I have no idea who Russ is or if he really spoke to Whiston. It could just be a friend trying to clear his name.
2.) You are correct. He should be paying non-homestead taxes for the 16 months he has owned the home and claimed 100% homestead.
3.) County records take forever to update.
4.) I got the info from a realtor but you can call the assessor’s office too
October 29th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Getting Screwed — Thanks for the info!