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PERPLEXING POLL: Voters Say State on Track But They're No Better Off

Governor Dodges Health Care, Corruption, Charter School Pitfalls

December 11, 2014       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

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Talk about ambivalence!

Michigan is on the right track under Gov. Rick Snyder, but most residents in a recent poll feel they are no better off financially.

Snyder successfully walked a tightrope in fending off a challenge from Democrat Mark Schauer, who never made the case that he could do better solving the state's multiple challenges than the "One Tough Nerd."

The governor avoided being branded a radical ideologue by backing expansion of Medicare and a statewide Affordable Care Act exchange, both precious to Democrats. And he argued forcefully that he added $1 billion to K-12 education even though critics said much of it went to fund pension obligations.

He dodged corruption accusation bullets that flew when political opponents charged George Snyder, the governor's cousin, was profiting from state contracts.

Emails disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act showed Gov. Snyder's cousin's furniture contract was shielded from cuts during the state's 2011 budget crisis, then more than doubled to $41 million the next year. The information came as the Michigan Truth Squad examined Michigan Democratic Party officials' assertions that Gov. Snyder's cousin was given preferential treatment by the state.

According to the Detroit News, federal investigation is underway regarding charges of no-bid contracts, improper spending by officials of the housing agency and other irregularities by the Snyder administration, none of which has seemed to shake public faith in the governor.

Neither was he tainted by a Detroit Free Press investigation that revealed major glitches in the charter/cyber school trend that is the brainchild of former Governor John Engler with state funding masterminded by Snyder aide Dick Posthumus, former Engler lieutenant governor.

None of the tar stuck to Snyder, however, and he has emerged apparently stronger than ever.

Public Sector Consultants and Denno Research polled 600 Michigan voters by telephone November 11-13 following the election.

The survey included questions about the direction the state was headed, absentee voting, early childhood education, and charter schools. The poll has a margin of error of plus/minus 4 percent, and included 20 percent cell phone respondents.

Providing further confirmation of Governor Rick Snyder's successful bid for a second term, a majority of Michigan voters (61 percent) feel that the state is on the right track, compared to 28 percent who feel it is on the wrong track.

Half of Michigan voters said that their financial situation was the same as it was four years ago, with the remainder split between better off (25 percent) and worse off (24 percent).

White voters (62 percent) and men (67 percent) were more likely to say the state is headed in the right track, compared to African American voters (44 percent) and women (55 percent).

By about a two-to-one margin, Republicans (33 percent) said that they were better off compared to Democrats (18 percent). Financial progress was tied to age, with 41 percent of younger voters (age 18-34) saying they were better off compared to 14 percent of retirees (age 65 or older).

Voters were also asked what Governor Snyder's top priority should be as he begins his second term. Most responses mentioned the economy, particularly job creation and tax cuts, along with fixing Michigan's roads and various issues related to K-12 education.

Third-grade reading proficiency is getting attention in the Michigan Legislature this year, and charter schools have been under increased scrutiny from State Superintendent Michael Flanagan, so voters were questioned about early childhood education and charter schools.

The vast majority of Michigan voters (83 percent) feel that having high-quality pre-kindergarten programs in place is important or very important to achieving reading proficiency by the end of third grade. Democrats (93 percent) thought this was more important than Republicans (74 percent).

Michigan voters were asked to choose between two positive and two negative statements about Michigan's charter schools. Nearly half (46 percent) had a positive opinion, while 33 percent had a negative opinion, and almost a quarter (20 percent) were unsure. Most respondents identified with these two statements:

*Charter schools are an important way to give parents a choice in where their child is educated (35 percent).

*Charter schools are a financial drain on Michigan's public schools (26 percent).

Republicans (48 percent) more likely to feel that charter schools provided choice, compared to Democrats (26 percent). Additionally, Democrats (36 percent) were more likely to say charter schools were a financial drain, compared to Republicans (14 percent).

The poll came in the wake of a yearlong Detroit Free Press investigation of Michigan's charter schools that found wasteful spending, conflicts of interest, poor performing schools and a failure to close the worst of the worst.

Among the findings cited by the Free Press:

*Charter schools spend $1 billion per year in state taxpayer money, often with little transparency.

*Some charter schools are innovative and have excellent academic outcomes -- but those that don't are allowed to stay open year after year.

*A majority of the worst-ranked charter schools in Michigan have been open 10 years or more.

*Charter schools as a whole fare no better than traditional schools in educating students in poverty.

*Michigan has substantially more for-profit companies running schools than any other state.

*Some charter school board members were forced out after demanding financial details from management companies.

*State law does not prevent insider dealing and self-enrichment by those who operate schools.

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Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

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