A bill that modifies the funding structure for the School Aid Fund is headed for the governor’s desk
The bill would lower the amount of money schools get from the state income tax. That money would go toward environmental and transportation initiatives championed by Governor Rick Snyder.
The idea is, schools will get new money from an online sales tax whose revenue must go to schools.
The bill’s own sponsor urged lawmakers to vote against it on the state House floor.
Republican Representative Martin Howrylak said he didn’t know what happened to his bill.
The original bill would ensure that the wrongfully convicted would not be taxed on their compensation for being wrongly imprisoned.
But Republicans in the Legislature took that bill and made it so schools would also get less money from the state income tax – and that money would go towards environmental cleanup and infrastructure.
“This is interesting to have your bill get hijacked over in the Senate and become something that you didn’t intend it to become,” Howrylak said.
Supporters say because schools will be getting new money from a court decision that ruled online sales taxes must go to schools – the bill won’t hurt education.
