Shelby Township Records Budget Surplus

According to a blog post, Shelby Township recorded its fourth straight budget surplus returning more than $600,000 to the general fund.

Utica Community Schools Braces for $22.5 Million Deficit in 2013-14

The district anticipates it will spend around $265.3 million in 2013-14, but take in only $239.6 million in revenue, according to early estimates.

Unless the district receives an unexpected windfall from the state, Utica Community Schools is looking at a $22.5 million to $25.7 million deficit for the 2013-14 academic year. With Gov. Rick Snyder due to unveil his third 2014 budget on Feb. 7, the district is making no assumptions about additional school aid funding and taking a hard look at its costs minus any cuts or added revenue. “We’re looking at what operating costs were in 2012-13 and what expenses would be if we kept staffing levels consistent and did everything the same (in 2013-14) as we do today,” said Stephanie Eagan, assistant superintendent for business and employee services. Taking into account the health care and retirement demands of the state as well, Eagan estimates …

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Shelby Township Supervisor Pledges ‘No New Taxes, No Reduced Services’ in 2013

Supervisor Richard Stathakis said the township will need to further reduce its spending to maintain a balanced budget in the year ahead.

With no state or federal windfall expected in 2013, Shelby Township will continue its efforts to reign in spending, which includes reforming police and fire pensions, and work to balance its budget while preserving residents’ present quality of life, Supervisor Richard Stathakis said. Stathakis joined Sterling Heights Mayor Richard Notte and Utica Mayor Jacqueline Noonan Wednesday at the annual Heritage Luncheon hosted by the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce to provide an overview of 2012 and highlight the pros and cons the township will face in 2013. More: Utica Mayor Pushes for 'Collaboration, Consolidation' to Reduce Costs in New Year “Our No. 1 priority is to reform police and fire pensions,” Stathakis said. “We couldn’t …

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Romney2012

10:30 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Typical Matty G defending $thatkis. Where are you getting your inflated figures from, Matt? Consultants have saved Shelby "millions" (emphasis on the plural)? I find that impossible to believe. It's almost as ludicrous as Karl Rove on Fox News on election night. Matt--why not say the consultants have saved us "BILLIONS"? That sounds better and is just as believable.   more ›

Shelby Township Opens Up Financial Books to Public

All 2010 and proposed 2011 budgetary information has been posted on the homepage of the Shelby Township website.

In an effort to be more transparent, Shelby Township has opened its financial books to the public. “This is really an unprecedented step to provide openness and transparency in local government," said Shelby Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis. With the help of a $12,500 state grant to create the technology needed to post all the township’s financial intelligence online, Stathakis, together with the IT and finance departments, created a Financial Dashboard and a micro-site to store all the township’s budget information online. The site went live the beginning of October, but was just recently posted on the homepage of www.Shelbytwp.org. Stathakis said he plans on introducing the system to the township at Tuesday night’s Board of Trustees …

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Michigan Credit Union Offers $25K in Grants to Members

Members of Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union can start applying for classroom grants on Sept. 1.

With school districts operating on reduced budgets this year, many teachers will rely on grants to enhance their students’ education. One of these grant opportunities is the Classroom Cash Grant through the Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union. The credit union plans to award more than $25,000 in grants to schools in Macomb and Oakland counties this year. “Some of the most memorable teaching experiences are not found in the regular curriculum,” said Peter Gates, CEO and president of MSGCU, in a release. “That’s why we encourage teachers to find unique, innovative classroom projects that inspire their students to embrace education. In return, we support their efforts by providing funding.” This is the sixth year of the credit union’…

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School Activists: 'We Have the Money for K-12 Education'

Education funding activists, including those from Royal Oak, aim message at lawmakers in Lansing, including Gov. Rick Snyder.

Lansing has seen bigger and perhaps more enthusiastic rallies than Thursday's gathering to support education funding. The activists were undaunted by crowd size. All they cared about was making Michigan's lawmakers hear words like those spoken from the Capitol building's steps by Chris Greig, Farmington Area PTA president. "We have the money. We have a surplus in the K-12 school aid fund," said Greig, who attended the rally with a group from the Farmington Area PTA. "We've collected $455 million more than what we originally thought, already this year. We are projecting an additional $500 million to be reported by the House Fiscal Agency on Monday. We have the money for K-12 education. We must, we must invest in our future today." Greig …

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