Would Residents Favor School Spending Hike If It Meant 21 Percent Income Tax Hike?

A Washington, D.C., consulting firm released survey results that its sponsors claim show strong support among Michigan residents for a $1,500 per-pupil increase in funding for Michigan’s public schools. Although that amount was mentioned, the survey did not explicitly ask respondents — who were also told that current funding is inadequate — whether they supported such an increase.

The increase would amount to a $2.3 billion rise in spending on K-12 public schools. Paying for such an increase would require the equivalent of a 21 percent increase in the state income tax rate, from 4.25 percent to 5.15 percent.

While respondents weren’t asked if they favored such an increase in school spending, the $1,500 per student figure was mentioned in a 116-word preface leading up to the question.

A question in the poll states, “Changing gears a bit, I am going to read you some details about a proposal about changing the way schools are funded in Michigan by establishing a standard, per pupil funding formula?”

“Business leaders and education experts from across the state came together last year to address inadequate funding for public and charter schools in Michigan. This diverse and nonpartisan group commissioned a one-of-a-kind study to determine the base cost of educating a student. The amount excludes transportation like bussing, food service, like lunches, and capital costs, like building construction and upkeep. It recommends a $1,500 increase in current funding levels, from $8,000 per student per year to $9,590 per student per year. Some people are proposing to use the findings of this study to change the way we fun schools and establish a standard, per pupil funding baseline amount for all Michigan public and charter school students.”

“Would you favor or oppose this proposal to change the way schools are funded in Michigan by establishing a standard, per pupil funding formula?”

To that question, 60 percent of the people either stated they “somewhat favor” or “strongly favor.”

The survey was commissioned by a group largely comprised of school spending interests. Greenberg, Quinlan Rosner, the research firm which conducted the survey, didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

If $2.3 billion more for schools were funded with spending cuts rather than a tax hike, the amount required would be the equivalent of a 62 percent cut in funding for road repairs. Alternately, it would be equivalent to closing all the state’s prisons and eliminating 75 percent of the state’s funding for community colleges.

Ari Adler, spokesman for Gov. Rick Snyder, said that school funding has increased over the years.

“If talking strictly funding, it’s important to note that total state taxpayer spending on education now stands at nearly $13 billion annually,” he said in an email. “Since fiscal year 2011, K-12 funding has increased by $2.1 billion. In addition, the fiscal year 2019 budget provides the largest per-pupil increase in more than 15 years and significantly reduce the equity gap among districts.”

State-only funding for all public schools was $10.80 billion in 2010-11. It is $12.86 billion in 2017-18. In 2010-11, the state spent the equivalent of $11.87 billion when stated in 2018 dollars, meaning that after inflation, state spending on schools has increased by $1 billion since then.