BY LAURA WEBER
Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING - Republican state Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop chastised Governor Granholm for her mandatory cut to K-12 schools funding. He sent her a letter saying she was making the students collateral damage in an effort to raise taxes.
Earlier in the week Granholm also vetoed some funding for the state's wealthiest school districts, which would save the state $54 million. But Bishop said she was trying to force Republicans to approve tax hikes.
Matt Marsden is spokesman for Bishop.
"I can tell you that we won't be restoring funding for any of the vetoes - that we will consider any of the savings that's generated from that as savings into the next fiscal year," Marsden said.
Marsden says Granholm is trying to force the Legislature to raise taxes to make up for the cuts.
"I think that the governor would like to see higher taxes. I think that the governor is trying to do all that she can do to scare citizens into thinking that their children's education is going to be hurt by the state's economic situation. "
Bishop says the Legislature sent Granholm a balanced budget and she is being "reckless and irresponsible" by cutting deeper. But Granholm says the lawmakers have yet to find the funding to support the budget they approved.
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