Public school teachers in Michigan make slightly more money than their colleagues who teach in state prisons.

An recent analysis found that public school teachers made 1 percent more than the teachers who work in state prisons. Teachers in the public school system generally work about 180 days in the school calendar year, which translates to 1,440 hours of work. Teachers working in state prisons put in 2,080 hours a year annually, which is a typical full year of work.

The average public school teacher salary in Michigan for 2009-2010 was $63,024, according to data from the Michigan Department of Education. That’s the most recent year salary information is available for public school teachers.

The average salary of a prison teacher for 2009-10 was $62,358, according to Department of Corrections salary data received in a Freedom of Information Act request.

The highest paid prison teacher in 2009-10 earned $78,550. There were 146 prison teachers in 2009-10.

Prison teachers’ salaries dropped in 2010-11. The average salary of a prison teacher was $59,936. There were 133 teachers working for the DOC in 2010-11. The highest paid prison teacher in 2010-11 made $76,420. By comparison, the Troy Public School District alone had 17 gym teachers make more than $76,420 in 2010-11.

Prison teachers need a current, valid Michigan teaching certificate and a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in their field of education, according to Russ Marlan, spokesman for the Department of Corrections.

Michigan will continue to write million-dollar checks to Hollywood movie producers under legislation passed last week, but the state will still have little to show for its generosity except an acknowledgment as the credits roll. Gov. Rick Snyder should veto this bill — not just because it’s an unfair and ineffective use of taxpayer money, but because it goes against his vision for the program to be flexible.

The Legislature voted to give subsidies not to exceed 32 percent of a film’s expenditure, down from 42 percent. But other than this cap the film office will have no control over how much they can give — their only discretion is in which productions get subsidized.

While so far only $25 million has been authorized for film subsidies this year, taxpayers should be wary, especially considering that Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, thinks the figure should be $100 million. When it comes to "economic development" projects, legislator talk of self-limits is like food addicts going on a diet: the restrictions are quickly forgotten when they walk past a cheesecake. Once the film office runs out of money, lawmakers are likely to inject more cash into the program, because their appetite for short-term  "good news" headlines is far more potent than self-imposed limits.

That’s not speculation, but a lesson from history. When the state ran out of deals eligible for its flagship industrial incentive program in 2009, it loosened the limits. It’s easy to expand economic development when they tell themselves that it is "costless."

It is not. Indeed, one proposed amendment last week sponsored by Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, would have at least made the state consider the “negative impact of tax monies take from businesses and citizens to provide this (film) incentive” when reporting on it. Lacking any assessment of the costs, these state reports only discuss the benefits. This was rejected in a voice vote. Legislators apparently do not even want to consider that film subsidies come out of taxpayers' pockets.

Gov. Rick Snyder asked for greater flexibility in film subsidies so that the Michigan Film Office can stretch its $25 million to have the largest impact. The bill now heading for his desk fails to provide that flexibility. Lacking this, and considering how little film subsidies have improved the state's economic climate, the Governor should veto this legislation.