Group eyes petition on education funding plan
Bid for voucher-like system could bypass expected veto
Conservatives with a track record for spearheading successful voter-led petitions to change the law want to bypass Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and enact a sweeping new education funding system driven by private donations and potentially massive tax credits.
While Republicans in the state Legislature recently rushed to approve bills that create this system, Whitmer pledged to veto the measures, arguing tax credits for education donations is essentially a school voucher system. She’s expected to carry out her promise sometime this week.
A group called Let MI Kids Learn announced Monday it will pursue an initiative petition to create what supporters call student opportunity scholarships. In Michigan, it is unconstitutional to use public money for private schools, but the system offered by conservatives may skirt this rule while still offering tax-funded incentives.
Under this system, wealthy donors would give lots of money to newly created nonprofits. Those nonprofits would then deliver funding to students or families who meet specific application criterion. In exchange, the donors would be eligible for state tax credits that mirror the amount of their donation.
The donated money could be used for private school tuition, but many other purchases as well, including computers, wireless internet hot spots or additional individualized educational resources.
There is nothing currently preventing wealthy individuals from creating nonprofits that administer education-related funding for students. Independent legislative analysts expect the legislation could mean $500 million less in tax collections for the state in the first year alone.
Fred Wszolek, a spokesman for the group and previously tied to other conservative petition drives, acknowledged Monday there are people ready to donate without a tax incentive. However, he said the tax incentive ensures the program could reach its full financial potential.
Rep. Bryan Posthumus, R-Oakfield Township, and a sponsor of one bill Whitmer will likely veto, said a petition drive is the only recourse for those who support this education funding system.
“The passage of this legislation was a test for Gov. Whitmer: She could stand with families and children, or she could stand with special interests,” Posthumus said in a news release. “Sadly, but predictably, Whitmer chose the special interests — as she always has.”
A Whitmer spokesman did not immediately comment on the petition effort.
Paula Herbart, head of the Michigan Education Association, called the petition an effort to avoid checks and balances that makes a mockery of the state constitution.
“This comes at a time when our public school educators are often doing more with less to serve the academic, social and emotional needs of our students as we recover
from the pandemic. Instead of working to support these efforts, this is just another partisan game.”
Whitmer has repeatedly vetoed popular conservative issues, from election bills to measures scaling back the state’s ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, conservatives successfully skirted her authority by using an initiative petition to repeal a 1945 emergency powers law Whitmer used at the start of the pandemic to issue sweeping restrictions.
That success spurred similar drives from conservatives on other pandemic and election issues.
If a petition receives more than 340,047 signatures, the Legislature can adopt the measure,
There is nothing currently preventing wealthy individuals from creating nonprofits that administer education-related funding for students.
reject it or amend it. If lawmakers change or nix the proposal, the original suggested law change goes on the ballot for a broader voter review. Whitmer cannot veto measures enacted through an initiative, making the process a popular one for Republicans.
There’s a logistical approval process petition organizers need to follow before they can start collecting signatures. While Wszolek suggested the entire process could be completed and the petition put before the Legislature next year, it could take considerably more time.