ay
e
,
LANS G - If the Senate
follows th same path as the
House, community college stu­
dents may not face a fall tui . n
ina-ease.
By a vote of 101-3, the House
I passed a 1990 community col­
lege budget that calls for a total
$195.5 million for all of
Michigan's 29 community and
junior colleges. Thi is 4. 5
percent increase from the 1989
budget of $187 million. The
budget contains funding in­
creases ranging from 3.1 to 6.19
percent for all colleges.
The bill has been referred to
the Senate Appropriations
Committee.
The House plan -is $2.9 mil­
lion over Gov. James
Blanchard's $192.6 million
proposal Blanchard's proposal
is a 2.9 percent inflation adjust­
ment
In his February budget mes­
age, Blanchard called for the
2.9 percent increase for opera­
tions funding for all of
Michigan's colleges and univer­
sities.
House Community Colleges
Subcommittee Ch irman
Thomas athieu, D-Grand
Rapids. s id the governor's
proposal' no enough.
"Inflation is 4.5 to 5 percent;
obviou Iy 4 percent is quite
aways away," Mathieu said
But Shelby Solomon, direc­
tor of the Department of
e
,
LA SI G' - Repair of the
Michigan Employment Security
commission's (MESC) ailing
$71 million computer system is
vital to di tribution of un­
employment insurance benefits .'
and record keeping. according
to the director of the Michigan
Department of Labor.
Elizabeth Howe, who is in
her fifth year directo , said
the MESC must put an e -
timated $36 million to ard
repair of its utomation system
before' it breaks down com­
pletely.
e system 'U never ork
right and could r.iI at any time, It
Howe' said "And en �t goes
down, it's more than people just
n recei t a vital
time; i -also means whole net-
ork of services to b iDesses
and record keeping i dis-
rupted." .
MESCs computer Detwor
provides the automatic system
for unemployment insurance
programs, hich include the
coUectioo of roughly $1 billion a
t year in unemployment taxes
� from ate employers and pay­
ments' benefits close to that
amount, said Kay Penner,.
Department of Labor chief of
staff It also respoesib for
keeping a record of employer
tax payments d benefit checks
• ed,
The automated system h
been aiticized ieee installation
in 1984 for its high cost . d fre­
quent breakdowns. Installation
and repair costs to date stan4-at
$71 million. employed through no fault of
"There's no question the their own to be able to draw
automatic system costs more their benefit checks."
than it ould have," Howe s id. Bill Castanier, a spokesman
"We're very much willing to ac- for the Department of Labor,
know dge that " said a plan to revise the system
Penner said the network is using new equipment and some
also inoperable on a regualar existing software has been sent I
bas' . . to the Depart ent of Man ge-
It' up about 90. percent of ment and Budg
the time, which equates to being "We have aery well-re­
down bout one day every two s rched plan to fIX it," Cas­
weelcs, • e said. tanier aid. "There were four
The Arthur Andersen cor- consulting contracts given out,
poration cted consultants and in addition, we had a con­
for the sy tem, according to �ultant look at the job they did. It
onnan IsOtaIo, spokesman An estimate on the cost of
for the MESC in Detroit He the new system is $36 million,
said the state Attorney $18 million of which would
General' office' investigating come from the federal govern­
Arthur Andersen' involvement mente The Department of
in the .proj Labor proposes to take the
The frequent breakdown of remaining fund from the
the computer means headaches MESC's penalty and intere t
and dela for the unemployed fund, hich i made up of
o�totbeMESCfortheir money collected from
tienefits, Peaner id. employers 0 are delinquent R publican pu I h
"When an area processor . in paying unemployniCnt tax. I I
out, the MESC can't pay claims Money from the fund would Wca nom nat on
an: she said, "so those checks have to be ppropriated by the WASHINGTO, D.C.-
are mailed once the system is up Legislature, Castaniersaid,ad- Conservative Republicans have
again or the customer can come ding he expects a b ttle from' launched a jor behind the
b ck the next day." legislators 0 think the funds . scene effort to get Wytiam
The glitches in the system could be better, pent else ere. Lucas appointed and confi med
also affect employees tax rates, Bu Howe said the time to as head of the Civil R ghts
Penner aid, because if repair the system' n. Division of e Justice part-
employer records in the com- "It does need to be fIXed and ment
puter are not accurate, their tax I'm willing to bite the bullet and Lucas' a Black conservative
rates will be wro so are the commissio ers of the who has drawn opposition from
-Both business and Labor agency: she said. "I think the civilrightsorganizatio such
want the system to r she Legislature should foUo our the AACP. He failed a 1986
said. "Employers want their lead" bid to become the fir t Black
records to be accurate and governor of Michigan. He drew
Labor wants people who are un- very little Black suppor
t '.
Management and Budget, said
th 1990 budget is "pretty near­
ly balanced with no money to
throw araound"
"I'd like them to explain
wh re th dditional money will
co from, " Solomon said.
Mathi u said mmunity col- _
leges are underfunded by about
$20 million, and Blanchard'
proposed increase is like a cut in
state aid He said there are two
ways to correct e problem.
"Go back to property owners .
and increase millage, or hike
tuition, which I don't like,"
Mathieu said
Mathieu said community col­
leges are at a disadvantage COIQ­
pared to four-year univer ities
whe it comes to rich alumni
donating money. But h
proposed a solution.
"It depends on howweU com- -
munity colleges, area business
leaders, students and faculty
connect and lobby the Legisla-
ture," he said. .
Solomon said that within the'
proposed budget, higher educa­
tion received a very sizable ap­
propriation.
"That's where our ey invest­
ments are; it's critical invest­
ment, " Solomon said.
Subcommittee member
Thomas Scott, D- Flint, said he
supported the proposal but with
reservations. Scott said he will
.continue to work (or a narrow
range of increases ranging from
4 to 5 percent He contend d
the 3.1 to 6.19 percent range will
incr competiveness among
coll ges. .
"I want to make sure no coi­
I "lege gets hurt, It Scott said. I'll
mention it to some sen to in
hopes �ey'll look at it"
Individually, college th t
received increase incl de
Gra d Ju lore ,a
House recommendation of 12
Dilllion which is a 5.55 perce
ina-ease over the 1989 budget of
$11.6 million.
Other were:
Klrtl ad in Roscommon:
$2.2 million, 3.1 percent in­
crease over last year's $2 mil­
lion.
Macoalb in Warren: $21.8
million, a 4.4 percent increase
over last year' $21 million.
MJd in Harrison:
$2.4 million, a 5.2 percent in­
crease over las year's $2.2 mil­
lion.
M oe: $2.2 million, an in-
crease of 5.45 percent from last
year' budget of $2 million.
Non Ce in Pet key:
$1.9 million, a increase of 4.26
percent over last year' budget
of $1.8 million.
N OIrtlrwe!Jtei'1l in Tr a ve r e
City: $5 million, 5.37 percent
incre over I t year' $4.9
million.
W t S in Scottville: $1.5
million, a 3.1 percent inae
over last year's $1.3 million
budget.