Michigan voters strongly oppose using taxpayer money to pay off the Detroit Public Schools’ $715 million in debt, according to a new poll by the Marketing Resource Group (MRG). The poll of 600 likely Michigan voters, commissioned by the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, was conducted Feb. 22-27.
Statewide, only 33 percent of voters favor using taxpayer money to pay off DPS’ debt, while 56 percent oppose it (with most of those saying they “strongly” oppose it). Even among Detroit voters, sentiments are almost evenly split, with 40 percent favoring the bailout and 38 percent opposing it. In the entire Metro Detroit region, the bailout also isn’t popular, with only 37 percent favoring it and 52 percent opposing it.
The poll comes as the Senate Government Operations Committee is set to vote soon on legislation that would, among other things, use taxpayer money to pay off DPS’ $715 million over the next 10 years. If the bill is voted out of committee, it will head to the full Senate.
“There’s no mistaking how voters feel about using $715 million of their money for this bailout,” said MAPSA President Dan Quisenberry. “Michigan taxpayers don’t want to be on the hook for DPS’ debt. Period. We’ve always felt that the Detroit legislation needs to look at improving academic outcomes for students along with the financial solutions required in Detroit, and unfortunately, this bill does nothing to address that. If the Senate votes today to spend $715 million of taxpayer money on this bailout bill, those taxpayers won’t be happy.”
The MRG poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. Thirty percent of poll respondents were contacted via cell phone, with 70 percent contacted via landline.
The question asked was:
“As you may have heard, the Detroit Public Schools and some elected officials are asking the State of Michigan to use $715 million of taxpayer money over the next 10 years to pay off the Detroit Public School District’s debt. Would you support or oppose the State of Michigan using taxpayer money to pay off the Detroit Public Schools’ debt?”
Poll responses:
STATEWIDE
Strongly support 13%
Somewhat support 20%
TOTAL SUPPORT 33%
Somewhat oppose 14%
Strongly oppose 42%
TOTAL OPPOSE 56%
Don’t know/refused 11%
METRO DETROIT
Strongly support 18%
Somewhat support 19%
TOTAL SUPPORT 37%
Somewhat oppose 10%
Strongly oppose 42%
TOTAL OPPOSE 52%
Don’t know/refused 11%
CITY OF DETROIT
Strongly support 34%
Somewhat support 6%
TOTAL SUPPORT 40%
Somewhat oppose 13%
Strongly oppose 25%
TOTAL OPPOSE 38%
Don’t know/refused 19%
