By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI –
Governor Granholm says it's almost too late to approve a proposal to encourage thousands of teachers to retire. Negotiations between the state House and Senate appear rocky, and it's unclear whether the lawmakers will be able to pull a deal together at the last minute.
The retirement reform plan is intended to spur a mass exodus of teachers who are paid the most. Granholm says it may already be too late for schools to implement hiring plans for new teachers and save money through the reforms. She told lawmakers the proposal needed to be done before May.
But Republicans in the Senate have said all along that their proposal is not as time sensitive as the House Democrats' plan. State Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop.
"Our members are prepared to come back and participate in any kind of negotiation, as long as there's something moving forward," she says.
Insiders say Republicans and Democrats are having trouble finalizing a deal. And many people think the proposal is dead if it cannot be approved at the beginning of this week.