"Given that it would take a change in the constitution, it is not an option in revolving the current budget problem," (Liz) Boyd said.

"The governor has called for and continues to believe that we need a comprehensive solution that includes budget cuts, government reforms and new revenue."

In other words, `great, go ahead and support it, we'll take that money when it comes but in the meantime we're going to raise other taxes too.'

For a party that claims every time they're near a microphone that they want tax increases and spending cuts they sure spend a lot more time talking about the extra revenue.  It's a money grab, that's all.  They continue to discuss tax increase possibilities and fail to propose or discuss opportunities for savings.  The way we educate our kids certainly isn't going to appear on their list anytime soon either, which is too bad.

A new study issued by the Cato Institute shows Charter Schools continue to present remarkable savings opportunities while offering a better education.

The best of them, such as Detroit's University Prep, offer parents a good alternative to failing public schools. University Prep is graduating 90 percent of its students and sending them off to college. It achieves that success even though it spends roughly $2,000 less per pupil than Detroit Public Schools, which graduates barely half its students.

The state Legislature has imposed a cap of 150 charter schools. If that cap were lifted and children now on charter school waiting lists could be moved out of underperforming public schools, the state could save millions of dollars while getting better educational results.

And boy couldn't a city like Detroit use a few more University Preps?  Another new report from Education Week claims the Detroit Public School system is graduating only 24.9% of it's students.  A 24.9% graduation rate?  That can't be right.  And DPS says it's not.  No, no, no.  They're graduating 61% of their students.  Get it straight!

The Detroit Free Press thinks they should stop arguing about which miserable number is right and focus on solving problems.

...Implicit in both rates is a systemic failure and level of underachievement that no one should find acceptable. Worse, these numbers merely complement a raft of others that point out how pathetic a job the system is doing.

By perception and a number of facts, DPS simply fails most of its children. That has been true for decades, leaving more than two generations with an awful choice: Stay and struggle, or leave for better options.

Better and drastically cheaper options they're being refused right now by Democrats in Lansing.