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Educators: Budget Cuts Will Be Detrimental To Future

LANSING (WWJ) - Michigan's state supported universities continue to urge lawmakers to reconsider a proposal from Governor Rick Snyder to take a big chunk of money from their budgets.

Central Michigan University President George Ross said the state has an obligation to fund undergraduate education.

"If I go back 30 years, 75 percent of our budget was funded through state appropriations. In the current year, it's 19 percent. If the proposal to cut our budget between 15 and 23 percent goes through the legislature, it will be less than 15 percent next year," Ross said.

Under Gov. Snyder's proposed budget plan, the state's public universities would see a 15 percent cut in state funded aid. However, $83 million would be set aside by the state to be shared with universities that kept tuition increases around 7 percent or less, according to state budget director John Nixon.

Michigan Education Association President Iris Salters believes these school cuts, in the long run, will hurt Michigan's recovery.

"I think that if the governor and the legislature is interested in moving Michigan out of this crisis situation, then education is the key. You can't continue to cut it and expect to get enhancements in that arena," Salters said.

Gov. Snyder said his $45 billion cost-cutting budget calls for a "shared sacrifice," and includes tough decisions that will help fix the state's massive budget shortfall. (More on this)

(Copyright 2011 by WWJ Newsradio 950. All Rights Reserved.)

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