State Representative Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens), Chair of the House Appropriations Community Colleges Subcommittee, speaks to State Representative Ed Clemente (
LANSING – House Democrats today overwhelmingly voted to preserve funding for Michigan's community colleges, a move that will protect vital workforce development programs and jobs at Michigan's 28 community colleges. The budget is the first of 15 departmental budgets to pass as the Legislature moves toward its Sept. 30 deadline.
"Michigan's community colleges help thousands of residents who have lost their job through no fault of their own upgrade their skills and find new, good-paying jobs in growing, high-demand fields," said State Representative Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens), Chair of the House Appropriations Community Colleges Subcommittee. "In order to turn Michigan's economy around, we need invest in our workers and higher education. Community colleges provide workers with the training they need to compete for jobs in a knowledge-based economy while creating the top-notch workforce that Michigan needs to attract emerging industries."
The budget that passed today restored cuts that had been made by the Senate. Under that plan, Macomb Community College (MCC) stood to lose more than $180,000 in much-needed funding at a time when enrollment at MCC is up more than 6 percent over last year.
The budget that passed also included language to encourage community colleges to pursue cost-cutting measures to maximize their funding, including increasing efficiency, establishing joint ventures with businesses and other educational institutions, and collaborating on programs or consolidating services.
"Michigan's community colleges are valuable partners in the success of Michigan's No Worker Left Behind program, which has enrolled 82,000 people across the state so far," said State Representative Joan Bauer (D-Lansing), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Community Colleges Subcommittee. "These versatile, affordable resources offer training both for young people just starting their careers and for a whole range of workers seeking new skills. Supporting quality institutions like Lansing Community College is one of the best investments we can make for the future of our state."