Gop Against Some Of Granholm's Budget, Including Small Schools

March 23, 2008

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Governor Granholm's educational ideas are hitting roadblocks as lawmakers start working on next year's budget.

Her proposals include making daylong kindergarten mandatory, offering two years of free community college tuition to laid-off workers and setting up smaller high schools.

Some lawmakers are leery of spending as much as Granholm has proposed because of the economic uncertainty the state faces.

Granholm's budget plan would raise spending to nearly 45 billion dollars starting October 1st. But the state Senate says the increase should be smaller because revenues may be less than expected.

Granholm's school spending plan should have more allies when the Democratic-controlled House gets a crack at the Senate version next month.

On the Net: Gov. Jennifer Granholm: http://www.michigan.gov/granholm Michigan Legislature: http://www.legislature.mi.gov Michigan League for Human Services: www.milhs.org

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)