As the state House finalizes its plan for higher education appropriations, some in the state Senate agree with the lower chamber's plans to raise Gov. John Engler's proposed 2.5-percent increase.
"I would like to modify it upward from 2.5 percent," said Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek), chair of the three-member Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee. "If you look at it from a historic view, the proper increase would be around 3.5 percent."
Schwarz said he hopes to begin making modifications to the budget within a few weeks.
State Sen. Jon Cisky (R-Saginaw), another member of the subcommittee, said he also hopes to keep university and college funding increases at least to the rate of inflation.
"If we're ever going to expect universities to control their tuition, we need to keep their increases to the cost of living," Cisky said.
Cisky also said he disagrees with Engler's across-the-board appropriation increases. He said there are some universities that receive a disproportionate amount of funding, and raising all funding by the same rate will only add to that problem.
"All you do is add to the inequalities," Cisky said. "I'm a full-tenured professor, so I'm pretty close to this."
Engler's proposed increase drew criticism from some legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, for being lower than the rate of inflation. But Maureen McNolty, a spokesperson for Engler's budget department, said that if the House and Senate can recommend ways to save money in other areas, Engler may consider increasing funding to universities.
"We are always open to changes," McNolty said.
Associate Vice President for Government Relations Cynthia Wilbanks, the University's Lansing lobbyist, said Engler's budget is a starting point, and she is not surprised that the Senate wants to increase the rate.
"I think the legislative process involves healthy debate," Wilbanks said.
Schwarz said the Senate subcommittee is awaiting the House's modified version of Engler's budget, and that the process has been much slower than usual.
"They're moving pretty slowly," Schwarz said. "I think we have to cut them a little slack because they're fairly new to the appropriations process."
Rep. Lynne Martinez (D-Lansing), the vice chair of the House subcommittee, said she is hopeful that her subcommittee will come to a final proposal Wednesday and there will be a final budget by June, before the legislature's summer recess.
Martinez also said the House will probably recommend an increase of between 3.5 and 4.5 percent.