Comments on: Kids budget cuts out of step with citizen priorities http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/kids-budget-cuts-out-of-step-with-citizen-priorities/ Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:31:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: Elizabeth Jordan http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/kids-budget-cuts-out-of-step-with-citizen-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-3387 Elizabeth Jordan Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:11:31 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=1569#comment-3387 The state of Michigan needs to be aware that when they cut Early Childhood funds they are damaging the foundation of the educational system. Michigan needs children who are healthy and ready for school when they enter kindergarten. Cutting Early Childhood funds means that more children will enter kindergarten not ready for school. The state of Michigan needs to be aware that when they cut Early Childhood funds they are damaging the foundation of the educational system. Michigan needs children who are healthy and ready for school when they enter kindergarten. Cutting Early Childhood funds means that more children will enter kindergarten not ready for school.

]]> By: Jamie Yeomans http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/kids-budget-cuts-out-of-step-with-citizen-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-3388 Jamie Yeomans Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:40:10 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=1569#comment-3388 Very well said Phil. I agree that our legislators are haphazardly cutting programs in an attempt to balance the budget. Our State will pay dearly for their irresponsible cuts to Early Childhood Programs. My family has personally benefitted from the Great Parents Great Start program. Their services and play groups were phenomenal and led to my son being referred to Early On for a Speech delay. As a result, my son has received Speech therapy for 2.5 years and is now ready to start Kindergarten this fall at grade level. Without Early Childhood Programs to assist children and families in need, thousands of children in my community will "fall through the cracks" and not be prepared for Kindergarten like my son. For many children, their delays will last a lifetime regardless of the services and money our public schools spend. I agree that our state must invest in our Children, especially our young children, if we hope for a bright future. The only thing I would add to your column would be some information regarding brain development. With 85% of a child's brain developed by age 4, our state can not afford to wait until Kindergarten to intervene with at-risk children. Unlike some legislators, I do not think our state has an option. We MUST fund Early Childhood Programs now or expect to pay 7-17 times more down the road to fix the problems we chose to ignore today. All children deserve the right to succeed in life. Please contact your legislator and ask them to support Early Childhood Programs. Jamie Yeomans Concerned Parent Very well said Phil. I agree that our legislators are haphazardly cutting programs in an attempt to balance the budget. Our State will pay dearly for their irresponsible cuts to Early Childhood Programs.

My family has personally benefitted from the Great Parents Great Start program. Their services and play groups were phenomenal and led to my son being referred to Early On for a Speech delay. As a result, my son has received Speech therapy for 2.5 years and is now ready to start Kindergarten this fall at grade level.

Without Early Childhood Programs to assist children and families in need, thousands of children in my community will “fall through the cracks” and not be prepared for Kindergarten like my son. For many children, their delays will last a lifetime regardless of the services and money our public schools spend.

I agree that our state must invest in our Children, especially our young children, if we hope for a bright future. The only thing I would add to your column would be some information regarding brain development. With 85% of a child’s brain developed by age 4, our state can not afford to wait until Kindergarten to intervene with at-risk children.

Unlike some legislators, I do not think our state has an option. We MUST fund Early Childhood Programs now or expect to pay 7-17 times more down the road to fix the problems we chose to ignore today.

All children deserve the right to succeed in life. Please contact your legislator and ask them to support Early Childhood Programs.

Jamie Yeomans
Concerned Parent

]]> By: Melvin Baldwin http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/kids-budget-cuts-out-of-step-with-citizen-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-3386 Melvin Baldwin Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:39:36 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=1569#comment-3386 The State of Michigan needs to rethink the penalties of most drug offenses. Marijuana being classified in the same manner as heroin is totally ridiculous! Crack cocaine having much more severe penalties than powder cocaine is beyond rational thinking. We should seriously consider the readjustment of penalties, or better yet, the decriminalization of some of these drugs. We should consider the possibility of legalizing some of them and taxing the transactions. The resulting lowering of inmate populations, thus reducing expenditures, and with possible added tax revenues, at least a part of the revenue shortfall and expenses associated with the imprisonment of drug offenders would have a positive effect on the budget shortfalls. Those who argue against this policy are not looking at the overall picture objectively. I do not use any drugs other than those prescribed for certain ailments, so I have no skin in this game other than as a taxpayer. Marijuana users are virtually always non-violent and peaceful. The penalties for marijuana use should be the same as for alcohol, as the effects are even milder than alcohol. The argument that crack cocaine is more dangerous than powder cocaine has been disproven multiple times. The penalties should be equal, not as skewed as the currently are, which results in crack cocaine sentences being roughly 3 - 5 times more severe than those for powder cocaine. If you want to address the items in the budget that should realistically be cut, it should not be education. Let's cut the unbelievable costs we have in maintaining our penal system, free those who have been convicted of marijuana offenses, and those who have been convicted of crack cocaine offenses who have served at least the minimum sentence for powder cocaine. The State of Michigan needs to rethink the penalties of most drug offenses. Marijuana being classified in the same manner as heroin is totally ridiculous! Crack cocaine having much more severe penalties than powder cocaine is beyond rational thinking. We should seriously consider the readjustment of penalties, or better yet, the decriminalization of some of these drugs. We should consider the possibility of legalizing some of them and taxing the transactions. The resulting lowering of inmate populations, thus reducing expenditures, and with possible added tax revenues, at least a part of the revenue shortfall and expenses associated with the imprisonment of drug offenders would have a positive effect on the budget shortfalls. Those who argue against this policy are not looking at the overall picture objectively. I do not use any drugs other than those prescribed for certain ailments, so I have no skin in this game other than as a taxpayer.

Marijuana users are virtually always non-violent and peaceful. The penalties for marijuana use should be the same as for alcohol, as the effects are even milder than alcohol.

The argument that crack cocaine is more dangerous than powder cocaine has been disproven multiple times. The penalties should be equal, not as skewed as the currently are, which results in crack cocaine sentences being roughly 3 – 5 times more severe than those for powder cocaine.

If you want to address the items in the budget that should realistically be cut, it should not be education. Let’s cut the unbelievable costs we have in maintaining our penal system, free those who have been convicted of marijuana offenses, and those who have been convicted of crack cocaine offenses who have served at least the minimum sentence for powder cocaine.

]]>