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Schools Want Share Of State's Surplus

LANSING (WWJ) - Public school districts in Michigan say they want a share of that $429 million surplus expected to fill Lansing's coffers. It's the result of more state tax revenue than first estimated.

WWJ's Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick reports the problem for Gov. Rick Snyder is that this is sort of counter to his idea of paring back and reinventing Michigan.

When you've got excess money in the coffers that lawmakers like to spend, that sort of goes against the grain of what he wants to do. But, here's the bottom line, according to Tim: there is a surplus of $429 million. The governor's budget guy, Mr. Nixon, says hang on folks; we don't have that much of a surplus to spend, but there will be some.

At the head of the line asking for some of the surplus money: the schools. They've been taking one cut after another for year after year and they're saying now that there is this surplus, please give it to us to buy down that cut per pupil number. Tim says he has been given indications privately that the governor has agreed to do that, the dollar amount isn't known.

This reported decision is contrary to some conservative Republicans, who would like to take that surplus money and put it into the rainy day fund.

Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBS Detroit.com for continuing coverage.

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