Reps. Palmer, Acciavatti, Clack, Elsenheimer, Garfield, Gosselin, Hansen, Huizenga, Hummel, LaJoy, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Meyer, Mortimer, Newell, Palsrok, Pavlov, Proos, Robertson, Schuitmaker, Sheen, Stewart, Taub and Vander Veen offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 14.

            A resolution to state the intention of the House of Representatives to address the rising costs of health care and retirement in public education.

            Whereas, Our state has a long history of providing the best educational options for our children, as well as a long history of bold and innovative steps to address inequities that arise; and

             Whereas, Our school districts are facing the largest financial crisis since Proposal A was implemented in 1994. This is due in  large part to rising labor costs, including health insurance and generous pension benefits; and

            Whereas, Retirement and health care costs have eroded many of the financial gains our schools realized in the years following Proposal A. Despite increasing per-pupil funding, these school funding increases have been largely consumed by retiree and health care obligations. The Michigan Department of Education is projecting a cost of $90 per pupil for increased retirement costs and $160 in increased health care costs. In an era when dollars are needed in the classroom to assure that each and every child in Michigan receives a world class education, new creative policies must be explored; and

            Whereas, In the past year alone, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, many school superintendents, and a host of state educational leaders have called for a dialogue and action on the problems our school districts face in meeting their rapidly growing health care and retirement costs; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we shall dedicate our resources and direct our collective efforts to address the rising costs of health care and retirement in public education; and be it further

              Resolved, That we invite the Governor to join us in crafting policy that helps direct more resources directly into Michigan's classrooms; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Executive Office, the Michigan Department of Education, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.