Letter to the Editor: Union President Speaks Out on Snyder's Budget

Gov. Rick Snyder's new budget plan could have a huge impact on Brighton teachers. It is hardly 'shared sacrifice' as he proclaims, with its billions in tax cuts for corporations and the rich while whacking educational funding and state employees. 

It's unfortunate that our elected officials do not seem to have the backbone to do what is so obviously needed: revamp our antiquated tax code to ensure adequate revenue. It is a creature of the 1950s. Did you know that the last change to the tax on beer was in 1966 (and it was reduced)? Did you know that Michigan is one of seven states that still does not have a graduated income tax (the more you make the more you pay)?

Isn't it incredible that while we've known the manufacturing sector of our economy has been shrinking and the services sector has been growing (for three decades) Michigan business tax is still 100 percent on manufacturing and 0 percent on services? No wonder manufacturing leaves the state.  

Many people today don't seem to want to pay for services anymore, but they still want the services. Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society and part of our patriotic duty to kick in for the common good. Didn't we learn this when we turned private fire protection into public fire protection? I say if you don't want to pay taxes, then you're living amongst us unfaithfully — ripping off the common good for your own short term selfishness.  

Few of the above people ever do the math when they say education is too expensive. Think of all the things schools provide: teachers, education, equipment, buildings, food service, bus service, custodial service, sports, clubs, activities, counselors, librarians, administrators, technology, etc. 

Divide that per pupil funding (approximately $7,300 per student) by the 1,098 hours we are mandated to teach them. What do you get per hour? I get $6.65 per hour. I don't think you can even get day care for that.  

All these created budget crises in most states and many countries are simply a pretext for shifting wealth away from the majority so a tiny minority can get insanely rich (read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein and you'll see what's going on).

I think nationally we're headed for a showdown between the masses and the oligarchy. Capitalism as it is practiced in America today has become the predatory phase of human development. "You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy, but you cannot have both," said Justice Louis Brandeis.

Locally in Brighton negotiations will be challenging. We do not have to begin bargaining until the end of May.

Barry Goode,
President,
Brighton Education Association