Public views public education funding as top priority

A statewide survey of 600 likely voters finds that Michigan voters strongly support protecting K-12 school funding and oppose efforts by Gov. Snyder to raid the School Aid Fund. In fact, voters indicated that K-12 school funding is the top funding priority for the state and is far more important than cutting taxes for businesses and corporations.

“The proposal to cut schools doesn’t reflect the wishes of the people of Michigan,” said SOS Co-Chair Peter Spadafore. “Legislators should be aware that more than 40 percent of voters said they’d be less likely to vote for someone who is in favor of cuts to K-12 schools.”

Key findings from the survey include: 

• More than two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents said education is the state’s top one or two services to protect, while 52 percent cited it as their top priority.


• A majority of voters think K-12 education funding should be increased.


• Eighty-eight percent of Michigan voters oppose cutting funding for K-12 schools.


• Voters aren’t convinced by the argument that Michigan’s constitution allows for the use of School Aid Funds to pay for higher education or that the “surplus” in the School Aid Fund should be used to close the General Fund deficit.

 The proposal to cut schools is clearly out of step with Michigan voters. Their sentiments aren’t aligned with the governor’s proposal to which cuts funding by $470 per student and transfers $900 million to community colleges and universities.

 “These responses show that Michigan voters have confidence that investing in education is the path to true reinvention of our state,” said Spadafore.