From left, state Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education President Rima Addiego and East Lansing City Manager Ted Staton listen at a town hall meeting held Wednesday at Donley Elementary School, 2961 E. Lake Lansing Road.
—More than 130 people gathered Wednesday at an East Lansing elementary school to gain perspective and share their opinions of state budget woes.
State Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, hosted a town hall meeting attended by community members, teachers, public school administrators and others for a discussion that largely centered around potential impacts to K-12 education.
A panel that included Whitmer, East Lansing City Manager Ted Staton and East Lansing educators shared specifics and anecdotes about what they said are the broad implications under Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget.
Released mid-February, the governor’s budget proposal contains his vision for closing a projected $1.4 billion shortfall facing the state for the fiscal year to begin Oct. 1. When one factors Snyder’s plan for business tax breaks, the deficit number increases to more than $3 billion because of revenue lost by abolishing the old system Snyder has characterized as lethal to jobs.
But that number is part of the reason town hall participants said they are concerned.
“We are all going to be adversely impacted by the Snyder budget if we’re used as pawns in his game to give business a $2 billion tax break,” Whitmer said to the meeting.
A spokesperson for Snyder could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
The governor was invited to participate in the town hall meeting, though he was not present.
Not all town hall participants warmed to Whitmer’s message, with one unidentified man arguing teachers largely have been immune to the recession that impacted the state.
“I wouldn’t define throwing money at K-12 being the answer,” the man said. “For the faculties and for the teachers, there has not been a recession. If you look at the salaries that have been paid, there has not been a recession.”
The man’s comments drew jeers from some participants. Most appeared to be on board with Whitmer’s message of sparing K-12 education, senior pensions and the like, clapping when key points were made by both Whitmer and attendees who spoke in favor of limited cuts in such areas.
East Lansing resident Elaina Swartzlander, a speech pathologist at a school in Clinton County, said she took a 3 percent pay cut last year and is looking at “significant” cuts this year.
“Obviously we need to balance the budget,” Swartzlander said.
“But I feel like a lot of measures we’re taking are just going to make it more difficult for young professionals, for people just coming out of school to find jobs.”
Wednesday’s meeting was one of a handful of town hall meetings held by Whitmer to discuss Snyder’s budget proposals and other state financial problems. The East Lansing stop also was the last, with other locations including Detroit.
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