LANSING – Community colleges would not see their funding increase, but it wouldn’t fall either under the budget plan approved Tuesday by the House Appropriations Community Colleges Subcommittee.
The subcommittee replaced the 3.1 percent the Senate had cut from the budget (SB 1151 ), but it did not specify a revenue source beyond the general fund.
As reported, the budget would total $299.1 million, all general fund.
“I think it’s a matter of priorities,” said Rep. Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens), subcommittee chair. He said the $9 million in additional spending for the colleges is minor compared to the overall budget and the House should be able to find it.
And he said the funding was essential to the institutions.
“If these trends continue the mission of community colleges (providing affordable, accessible higher education) might have to change if we continue to disinvest in higher education,” Miller said.
The panel also inserted language requiring contractors working for the colleges to pay prevailing wage and requiring colleges with fund balances of more than 25.7 percent to explain their plans for those funds.
“We realize all the institutions have plans for those, we just want them to be on record,” he said.
The budget moved technically without opposition. Rep. Darwin Booher (R-Evart) abstained, saying there were still some concerns over the budget, but that he was willing to continue working.
“The concern here again is where are we getting the money?” he said.
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