Chuck Moss, Michigan State Rep for District 40, which of course is my district.
I voted for this yahoo in the last election(2008), even though at the time it seemed like a good idea to chuck every Republican out of office. Of course, as we've learned allowing one party to have too much power is a recipe for disaster. Anyway, the dude seemed reasonable enough, I mean for a politician and a lawyer. I know, what was I thinking?
Anyhoo... I might have continued to hold such a view if I hadn't made the mistake of sending him an email expressing my discontent over the matter of school budget cuts. It wasn't my idea, but at the request of the PTA. These cuts will come after funds from the state had already been set. And this isn't the first time that Lansing has done this to our schools.
Anyway the response I got was typical political malarkey. Check it:
Dear Chris,
Thanks for writing me about the School Aid Fund budget. This budget is a Bi-partisan, Democratic/Republican effort to balance the budget. House Speaker Andy Dillon and Majority Leader Mike Bishop joined hands to get a budget done and avoid a shutdown. I don't like all the cuts either, especially to education, but with our revenues down 22% and unemployment at 15%, we face hard choices.
Actually, the budget as adopted decreases the per-pupil state aid by $218, but allows local districts the flexibility to absorb the cuts by reducing or eliminating any other funded (categorical) program except a handful like Durant, special education, school lunch. In other words, the schools can use the "categorical" money for their own educational priorities, something that school groups specifically asked for.
Once again, no one wants to make any cuts to schools, but when our income goes down so drastically, we have to do what every family does and tighten our belts and live within our means.
Chuck Moss
Of course I get the obligatory thanks for writing which is immediately followed by Chuckie touting the B
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