LANSING — The House passed Senate Bill 574 today, which will allow charter schools to siphon off regional school millage dollars approved by voters. In response, state Rep. Patrick Green (D-Warren) issued the following statement:
“My job as state representative is to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars and to ensure all students have the resources they need to succeed in the classroom. I voted no today to ensure our tax dollars go to students, not big corporations. A majority of charter schools in Michigan are operated by for-profit management companies looking to make a profit off of our kids. Senate Bill 547 would divert money away from classrooms to pad corporate profits instead of paying our teachers, investing in infrastructure and putting our kids first.”