Should the Taxpayer Have a Say

Taxpayers heavily fund Community Colleges in Michigan that said should the taxpayers be able to vote when the Community Colleges want to spend our tax dollars?

Grand Rapids Community College’s financial statements stated they received $40 million from tuition, $22.8 million in state appropriations and $36.6 million in property taxes.  Those numbers mean that approximately 60% of GRCC's funding comes from Michigan Taxpayers.

I ask this questions because I just read an article in Mlive.com which reported that the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees is expected to vote on a proposal that would grant health care benefits to the domestic partners of unmarried employees.

It the board approves this all employees, regardless of their sexual orientation, would then be able to provide health insurance for their domestic partner.

In the article the Grand Rapids Community College President Steven Ender, said providing such coverage is important to them because it would show that Grand Rapids Community College believes in "inclusiveness."

He is quoted in the article stating:

"what we are trying to do is send a strong message to our community that we do believe in inclusiveness, and we do not believe that all people live their lives the way the majority of folks do,"

Take the domestic partner issue out of your decision process and focus on the question, if an entity is funded or partially funded by Michigan tax dollars then should the citizen of Michigan be able to vote on sensitive issues like this.

The Live with Renk show, which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon, to let me know your thoughts at (269) 441-9595.

Or please feel free to start a discussion and write your thoughts in the comment section.

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