Michigan Senate Leaders on the Future of Roads and Schools
State senate majority and minority leaders discuss education, the failure of Proposal 1, and what to do about roads.
Stephen Henderson speaks with Michigan Senate Minority Leader, Jim Ananich (D-27), and Michigan Senate Majority Leader, Arlan Meekhof (R-30) about Michigan’s roads, and what they learned from voters’ rejection of Proposal 1.
- DPS debt relief: Ananich says that as a former teacher he believes it is important to fix DPS debt, but that this should not happen at the expense of other students. Meekhof agrees and says that he thinks student achievement and opportunity should be more important than immediate debt relief.
- The future of Michigan education: Stephen points out that Michigan has fallen in national education rankings. The leaders agree that Michigan has to create a path to success for its students and school districts. They emphasize that Michigan needs people with a range of skills, including skilled trades.
- What Prop 1 means for Michigan politics: Stephen asks what message the senate leaders have received from the voters’ rejection of Prop 1. He suggests that it reflects trust issues between voters and the government and that the proposition was too complicated. The leaders agree and say that they received feedback against raising taxes from their constituents.
Click the audio link above to hear their full conversation.
