By Nick Smith
Staff Writer
Posted: October 27, 2017 3:03 PM

Legislation to allow charter schools to have access to regional enhancement millages has led to a familiar story unfolding: Republicans promoting strengthening school choice while Democrats decry it takes away from traditional public schools and hands free money to charters to slip into corporate shareholder’s pockets.

Get some popcorn, pull up a chair and watch the remaining fireworks. Barring some stunning upset vote in the House or a veto, those who have watched charter schools take hold over the past couple decades know SB 574 is likely to go to distance.

Policy debates over charter schools are a sure bet, hot-topic in Michigan where one can expect passions to run hot and virtually no one ever being convinced to move an inch, much less change sides. Topics such as guns, abortion, religious freedom matters and unions, among others, easily come to mind.

It’s an example of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.

Which makes the largely muted opposition from traditional public school groups and associations somewhat puzzling.

SB 574 would enable charter schools to be eligible for funds made available by regional enhancement millages. Up to 3 mills can be approved for intermediate school districts by a vote of the public to benefit schools within their roughly county-sized districts. The bill would allow charters to get a share in new and renewed millages. The six existing ISDs with them already in place would remain as-is out of fairness to what voters at the time of their approval supported.

The fact that the millages are purely optional on a local level even if the bill is passed could be a reason behind the lack of open opposition. Perhaps there are simply bigger battles for such groups to fight on this or other policy matters. Or perhaps with charters being a reality for nearly a quarter century, it’s simply inevitable that such funding policies would begin to be pursued.

Regardless of the reason, both Republicans and Democrats, on cue, dug in on their respective sides.

Both sides to a degree have a point.

Republicans and charter school officials have said since they pay their fair share of taxes in their community they should have the choice to allow those dollars to benefit all.

Democrats have expressed deep concerns over charter school transparency and the possibility of money not benefitting students but out-of-state companies.

For now it’s a matter to watching the show as it winds its way through the Legislature and waiting for the next battle to begin.