State School Aid Budget Signed
This week Governor Rick Snyder signed his final school aid budget. He applauded the work of the legislature for passing a budget before breaking for the summer and including the largest foundation allowance increase schools have seen in 15 years.
The Governor also highlighted some of the budget items he is most proud of. These include closing the gap between the highest funded and lowest funded districts and including funding for the Marshall Plan for Talent and Early On.
Supreme Court Decision on Union Dues
The United States Supreme Court decided a case this week that has far reaching implications for Michigan unions. They decided that requiring non-union members to pay "fair share" fees to cover collective-bargaining activities violates the first amendment. While this change was included in the Right to Work law that passed several years ago in Michigan, some unions (police and fire unions) were not included in the law. Michigan's education unions were already barred from collective fair share fees from non-union members.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote the majority opinion in the 5-4 decision stating "We conclude that this arrangement violates the free speech rights of nonmembers by compelling them to subsidize private speech on matters of substantial public concern."
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