This is the kind of story that never seems to make its way to the major media outlets here in Michigan, the kind of story that cuts the heart right out of one of the MI GOP's main talking points. First of all, listen to DeRoche wail about the budget surplus-
"The governor and House Democrats have repeatedly papered over the true budget situation. They failed to report $70 million in overspending, inflated budget proposals to increase the deficit, and then shut down the government to force a tax increase."
But the theory that a potential surplus was hidden from lawmakers to support tax hikes is weakened when it is noted that the state used nearly $360 million from other, specialized funds to balance the General Fund in the last budget.
And that the governor issued an executive order cutting appropriations during the year by $274 million.
Despite new taxes adopted by lawmakers, the current fiscal year would have been out of balance without the surplus.
Once again, DeRoche is proven to be erroneous in his assessment of the situation, which is probably an everyday occurrence in the Wacked World of Craig, right? No big deal, really- but notice how that one key word gets out there once again.
Overspending. And if you listen closely, you will hear just about every Michigan Republican that gets that attention of the media trying to convince the public that the state government is overspending, when in fact, we aren't even keeping up with inflation.
One lonely story in the Lansing State Journal tells us the truth, and then you have to dig from there.
The idea that state taxes and spending are out of control is a myth and an impediment to getting Michigan's economy back on track, a group representing universities, cities and nonprofit agencies said Thursday.
Rather, personal income has outpaced state spending, and investments in programs critical to the state's welfare have been slashed, the group said. Cuts to colleges have meant students pay more for tuition and cuts to cities have resulted in fewer police patrolling the streets.
Total spending from state resources has risen 10 percent since fiscal 2001, while personal income is up 19 percent, according to the report by the Michigan Fiscal Responsibility Project.
The Michigan Fiscal Responsibility Project runs the site Michigan Tax Truth, and they were kind enough to print articles from both MIRS and Gongwer that have some interesting facts that help put everything into perspective. Follow over the flip to see where the Republicans are being less than honest about the reality of overspending and taxes in the last few years...
Republicans. Please. Put the budget down and back slowly away. It's over. No one wants to talk about this anymore. No one wants to relive the pain of '07. We know you are responsible for the mess created over the service tax issue, and the guilt you feel must be unbearable, but please, try to get over it and move on now. We can't keep revisiting this issue and wasting valuable time.
The Michigan Senate on Thursday voted to give businesses a tax credit equal to the expenses they incurred to comply with the short-lived tax on services.
Democrats say the tax credit would be fiscally irresponsible.
But Republicans who hold the majority in the Senate say the legislation is needed because some businesses unfairly incurred costs getting ready for the new tax, which took effect for less than 24 hours before lawmakers repealed it Dec. 1. The service tax was passed in early October as part of a package of cuts and tax increases to deal with a budget shortfall.
It's unclear how much businesses paid over the two-month period to comply with the tax. But the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency estimates the proposed tax credit could cost state government an unknown and potentially significant amount.
Apparently they are trying to amend the income tax as well, creating a potential double credit. Talk about overkill. Senator Switalski tried to sweet talk Nancy Cassis off the ledge.
If I could read from the Senate Fiscal analysis it says, "the bill would also allow non-business tax payers under the individual income tax to claim the credit. The bill does not define what expenses would be eligible for inclusion under the credit or how a taxpayer should determine whether an expense was incurred to comply with the former Section 3d of the Use Tax Act. As a result, taxpayers that were not charged with collecting the tax, but may have had expenses determining whether their purchases would be subject to tax or how to account for such taxes in the course of their activities also would be able to claim the credit. The additional revenue loss under the bill from these taxpayers is also unknown and likely significant." It goes on to say that, "For these firms," it's talking about some business firms now, "because neither bill would prevent a taxpayer from claiming a credit on both returned-the MBT and the income tax-taxpayers would be eligible to claim a credit twice for the same expenses if both bills were enacted."
Well, you know I have to comment on the remarks earlier by my very good friend, the Senator from Novi, who I have great affection for and have publicly declared that affection on many occasions, but she has certainly provided us with a new definition of minimal because it is now $900.00 million as minimal. I just want to say that, Mr. President, I myself incurred some expenses getting ready for the sales tax and my expenses were well below the minimal amount of $900 million. In fact, my expenses were minuscule and even if I can claim them twice and double them, they will still be a very small amount. So it's with some misgivings that I actually rise up in opposition of this bill because I could financially benefit from its passage. But, I do have to say that it again is estimated at $100 million on this bill and it would not be fiscally responsible after what we've been through in the past year to pass this bill. I urge all members to vote against it.
No dice. They jumped. Passed both bills, insisting on the fiscal irresponsibility that got us here in the first place, and no answer on how we would go about paying for the hole they would create. So much for the cooperation and communication that Mike Bishop promised.
House Republicans want to play too- over the jump...
Time to remind everyone the House Republicans did NOTHING to move the budget process forward. They wouldn't vote for cuts. They wouldn't vote for "reforms". They wouldn't do a damn thing.
Now they are asking Chris Ward, the one guy who would take a leadership role in negotiations while DeRoche was busy crying for the cameras and being the generally useless "leader" that he is, to step aside. From MIRS-
MIRS has learned that, in the message announcing his resignation, Ward cited a letter signed by 16 members of his caucus calling for a new leadership election for his post. Apparently, Ward was taken aback because by some of those who signed to the letter were members he had previously believed supported keeping him as floor leader.
Why are House Republicans so upset? They wanted to play politics with the final vote.
He voted yes on the income tax hike after supposedly telling his caucus that he was going to vote no. In fact, he voted yes after the voting board was closed and the 56 yes votes required for passage had been secured.
Ward's 57th yes vote will prevent those seeking recalls and future GOP candidates from being able to claim any of the Democrats cast the "deciding" vote on the tax hike. The vote also spawned a recall effort against Ward, which could cost the House Republican caucus time and money to defend.
Will the real Michigan Republican Party please stand up?
While Saul is running misleading radio ads claiming that the Democrats are solely responsible for a "massive job killing" tax increase, it should be pointed out that, under the direction of Mike Bishop, the Republican Senate will not attempt to repeal those service taxes anytime soon.
So, which is it? Are the Republicans as vehemently anti-tax as Saul claims? If so, why aren't the Senate Republicans doing something about it?
As usual, the Republicans are saying one thing and doing another. They want the benefit of a budget agreement that prevented the shutdown of government so they wouldn't have to take the blame for that, and they want the benefit of a tax increase so they wouldn't get tagged with the devastating cuts to education and public safety, but when it comes time to address the rabid anti-tax members of their own party, they quietly put Nancy on that short leash with the muzzle attached and take a pass on the issue, while they let the party continue to confuse the public with propaganda.
Today, the Senate Tax Policy Committee scheduled a meeting to give an irate business community a chance to spout off about the alleged loss of customers the additional tax will cause, but it was cancelled only hours in advance after Senate Republican leadership successfully urged Committee Chair Nancy CASSIS (R-Novi) to back off, MIRS has learned.
Why would Mike Bishop do such a thing? To protect Republicans, of course. They know they need the revenue to complete the budget deal-
But Senate Majority Leader Mike BISHOP (R-Rochester) isn't interested in revisiting the issue, at least in the short term, sources indicate for a few reasons. First, the fragile agreement reached for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 included $600 million from the new tax. Unless replacement revenue is found, there is no balanced budget.
They want to protect their own members-
Second, several Senate Republicans took a hard vote in support of HB 5198 and to undercut the importance of their vote - especially since at least three of them have recall targets on their backs because of it - isn't fair to them and crumbles the caucus unity.
And they are still negotiating cuts-
And finally, Bishop's team doesn't want the distractions of a service tax at a time when the House and Senate are still negotiating with the administration on what exactly the $433.3 million in cuts will look like.
Gongwer reports that even Nancy Cassis admits the revenue would have to be replaced (Nancy Cassis wants to raise your taxes!), although she did say she wouldn't replace it all. There are probably some poor people who can take it a hit, right, Nancy?
If the tax is repealed there will likely have to be replacement revenue, Ms. Cassis said, though "I don't think it needs to be replaced dollar for dollar."
With that statement, even Nancy Cassis admits that taxes will have to be raised, somewhere, somehow, on someone, just as long as Republican special interests are protected. Call it a hunch.
Someone get on the bat phone to Saul and have him revise those ads. Republicans in the Senate have admitted that the tax increase was necessary and they won't be taking steps to have those taxes repealed. We wouldn't want the Republicans to contradict themselves now, would we?
Keep talking Mike. Having fun with you tonight. At least Andy is off the hook for a bit.
"She needs to sign a continuation budget in good faith so that both sides have more time to respond," Bishop said, noting another 30-day extension could be needed if a permanent solution is not found during October.
You have got to be kidding.
Wait, isn't that pushing it close to the two-week break they take for Thanksgiving? We wouldn't want to miss that. And after that is done, as it stands now they are out December 6th, with only tentative sessions scheduled the rest of the year.
Might have to push it into next year. Oh, wait, that's an election year, and we can't do anything then, either. At least that was the excuse they used when they blew up the SBT. Different set of lawmakers though. This group is a lot more responsible, right?
Anyone surprised by this? From MIRS we learn that the progress that was being made in the negotiations yesterday was rejected by Mike Bishop, and then it all blew up.
A deal House Democrats tried to work with individual Republican members to get them to support a seven-tenth of a percentage point tax hike in the income tax fell apart in the early afternoon when it became known that Senate Majority Leader Mike BISHOP (R-Rochester) was cool on a key component to the deal - an increase in state funding for mostly rural school districts that don't receive as much state aid as suburban and urban schools.
And once that fell apart, both Republicans and Democrats fired up the fog machine and turned up the rhetoric full bore. Democrats declared Republicans obstructionists intent on running state government into the ground. Republicans claimed Democrats were hell bent on raising taxes absent any "reform" to state government.
A second attempt late in the night to put "shell" tax increase bills in a conference committee also allegedly was spiked by Bishop, according to one Democrat.
MIRS reports that Bishop isn't willing to deal.
But while some Republican senators were willing to talk about dealing on the issues, sources indicate that Senate Majority Leader Mike BISHOP (R-Rochester) wasn't one of them. Indications from the Senate Republican leadership are that it doesn't see how increasing spending at a time government should be cutting makes much sense.
Also, it should be pointed out that while the districts of Sens. Valde GARCIA (R-Howell) and Alan CROPSEY (R-DeWitt) - both of whom were seen at the Capitol today - benefit from the so-called "school equity plan" it neither helps out the districts of Bishop himself or a sizeable number of members of the Senate Republican caucus.
Once it became clear that the school equity issue wouldn't be a lock in the Senate, House Republican willing to deal on an income tax vote for the school equity issue allegedly got cold feet and backed off.
MIRS likes to use words like "allegedly" and "sources indicate", but this scenario is as close as it comes to explaining why the House Republicans would continue to obstruct progress.
Does anyone actually think that Craig DeRoche acts of his own volition here?
No. Of course not. He takes orders from above. Question really is- How far up the Republican food chain are those orders coming from?
Members hung out, threw around a football, some went to the MSU game, they ate Chinese food, watched movies, called their mothers from their desks while the leadership held press conferences and tried to figure what to do next.
DeRoche is happy to run around and scream "reform" without any real reforms in mind, spew his pre-approved Republican talking points to whoever will listen, and continue this 11th hour stall tactic, all under the direction of Mike Bishop. Just a hunch.
Democrats are going to have to put up the vote. Every single time the media proclaims "vulnerable" members won't offer a vote, which they have repeatedly done, it gives DeRoche an excuse to claim that even Democrats don't support the plan to save the state.
"This is obstructionism at its worst" says the Speaker.
Yes, it is. Did you really expect anything different? We get the impression he didn't think they would do this. Welcome to the snakepit, Andy.
"The House will not own a shutdown", Dillon told us.
If this doesn't make it over to the Senate, the rhetoric will be that the House couldn't get its affairs in order, and Mike Bishop will call the shots from here on out.
LANSING -- Defiant House Republicans said they refuse to vote on any tax increase for the remainder of the weekend, as marathon negotiations ground into their second day with no solution in sight.
-snip-
"None of our members will vote yes on a tax increase this weekend," DeRoche said, surrounded by members of his GOP caucus. Earlier, Democrats gave up on a vote to raise the income tax to 4.6%, after keeping the voting board open for 24 hours. The board was cleared without an official vote recorded, and with only 43 of the required 56 votes needed -- none from Republicans.
Kudos to Speaker Dillon for trying this move-
Meanwhile, Democrats launched a vote on a Senate Republican plan that would cut as much as $1.7 billion from state spending -- a cut Democrats were sure to oppose but would force Republicans to post a vote publicly.
DeRoche criticized House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, for taking up budget-cutting bills on Saturday, only after it was apparent a tax increase did not have enough support.
DeRoche called the vote on deep budget cuts "a cheap parlor trick" that would not resolve the crisis.
Heh. Love it.
The House Republicans won't vote for revenue. The House Republicans won't vote for cuts.
The House Republicans are now willfully obstructing any progress on the budget.
Stay tuned... or go watch Michigan whomp on Notre Dame. That's more fun.
UPDATE: Michigan 38 Notre Dame 0. There is something to feel good about!
Seriously, Mike, some of us are paying attention out here. You really should watch the things you say in a fit of spite, or anger, or whatever your problem is today.
As you might have heard (see story below), House Republicans refused to back the idea of putting a sales tax increase on the January ballot. According to Gongwer-
Mr. Dillon said Republicans failed to lift a finger to help pass a proposal on the sales tax, pointing to Mr. Bishop saying he did nothing to convince Republicans to vote for a proposal he proposed.
But Mr. Bishop said he had only proposed the sales tax as a way of getting some movement from the House. And why should he have to talk to House members to get them to take action on anything, he asked reporters.
I don't know, Mike, why did you have to talk to them back in May concerning the new business tax?
From the Detroit News, May 3rd. (article no longer online)
But the bill drew only five Republican votes on the House floor. Democrats said an initial head count had more than 30 Republicans backing the tax package, but support fell off due to "disgusting partisan politics," Bieda said.
-snip-
House Democrats said Republican support collapsed after a visit to the House GOP's closed caucus meeting by Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester.
So, Bishop will go talk to House Republicans when it serves his interest to do so.
Apparently progress on the solution to our budget problem doesn't warrant Mike's attention today.
After all, why should he have to talk to these guys. Not like the state is going to shutdown or anything, right?
Want to know what $1.75 billion in cuts looks like?
I don't think you do, but here it is anyway.
Keep in mind while you are reading, Republicans are saying that they would vote to do this. You think that raising taxes is a problem for re-election? I would love to be the ad writer for a challenger to a legislator who would actually go along with these kinds of cuts. Almost want to make them take a vote and get them on the record.
This goes beyond "living within our means", this is outright dereliction of duty.
From Gongwer, here is the original $1 billion (or so), and this one includes cutting the increases that were coming to K-12 and colleges-
The list that Mr. Bishop called for - a list he said had been presented numerous times in closed-door negotiations - called for $192 million in savings from an early retirement program for state workers, $289.7 million in eliminating a proposed 2.5 percent increase for K-12 School Aid, another $35 million by eliminating a proposed 2.5 percent increase for higher education and $7l.1 million by eliminating a similar increase for community colleges, $116.8 million in cuts to the Department of Human Services, $78.6 million in cuts to the Department of Community Health and $50 million in cuts to Corrections, $23.4 million in cuts to all other departments and $75.4 million in cuts to state employee economic funding.
And if that wasn't horrific enough, check the rest of it out.
But the additional possible cuts could total another $1 billion. The largest of those suggestions was a drastic cut in statutory revenue sharing, by $398.7 million (Detroit would bear the brunt of that - $208.9 million - with the 31 largest cities and townships seeing total cuts of $312.8 million).
Other big proposals would be eliminating a repayment of $138.7 million in delayed payments to universities and another $25.8 million in delayed payments to community colleges, $78 million in Comprehensive Transportation Fund grants, $77 million in a variety of grant elimination and reductions in K-12 school aid, as well as $75 million transfer in the 21st Century Jobs Fund to the general fund.
The committee took no action on the proposals.
I should hope not.
Names. We need the names of legislators who would approve of such a thing. Besides the Senate Republicans, we can throw in all the House Republicans as well, according to Craig DeRoche.
House Minority Leader Craig DeRoche warned there are no House GOP votes for higher taxes.
No? Well, kiss your local police and fire department goodbye, and then thank your local Republican legislator. The ad copy is writing itself here.
Dillion says he is going to move a revenue vote Friday.
"I just decided that we've got to act on our own now," Dillon said with less than three weeks before the new budget year begins Oct. 1. "That's what I'm prepared to do."
I should hope so.
Republicans are anxious to get Democrats on record for voting for the revenue to run the state? In the face of this?
Perhaps we need to get the Republicans on record for voting to close "three or four prisons".
Two can play at this game.
Better yet, why don't all you yahoos just settle down and do the right thing here. It would save us all a lot of trouble.
There's no way to get around the fact that taxpayers will be penalized for the mismanagement of their political leaders. We have come to the conclusion that the best way out of this mess is an increase in the income tax. We would suggest no more than a half-percent increase in the tax rate, taking it to 4.4 percent from the current 3.9 percent, or roughly a 10 percent hike.
That "mismanagement" would be endless tax cuts in the face of declining revenues. The News doesn't bother to mention that they were the ones cheerleading the "mismanagement" every step of the way, but at least they are now calling for the money we need to operate the basic necessities of the government.
It's about time.
They only get us halfway there. They paper over the rest by calling for these miraculous "reforms" and all the imaginary savings that they would supposedly bring.
Proposals have been placed on the table for revamping health insurance benefits for public employees, including teachers; for privatizing prison services and reducing the inmate population; for curbing Medicaid, and for a host of other money saving measures.
Those proposals should be passed to get the remaining $950 million.
Not sure how they arrive at that number. Numerous examples of privatization have proven to cost us more money in the long run, revamping insurance won't get anywhere near the numbers you need (and insurance, even revamped, is bound to keep increasing), and "curbing Medicaid" (how do you do that? tell people not to get sick?) only passes on the cost to hospitals and insurers, who will in turn pass that cost on to you. It's a back door tax increase. The News fails to mention that, which is odd given all the hand-wringing they do over "struggling Michigan families".
But never mind, let them have their fantasy. At least they are halfway out of denial. It's a step in the right direction.
Now we are going to find out the answer to the question that has been on all of our minds- Who is more extreme, the editorial board of the Detroit News, or the leadership of the MI GOP?
According to an article in the News itself, it's Saul and the people who pull his strings. Seems there is discontent in the ranks of the Republican army. The Bush Brand of drown government conservatism is making their lives difficult, and Saul isn't helping.
A GOP legislative staffer, who asked to remain anonymous, said Republican lawmakers frequently grumble behind closed doors that they realize they'll eventually have to vote for a tax hike and that Anuzis' diatribes are making their jobs tougher and a resolution more elusive.
-snip-
Among lawmakers' complaints: It's unprecedented for a party chairman to dictate policy to legislators of his own party.
Really? Does the name Betsy strike a bell with any of you folks?
It looks like Mike Bishop has abandoned his strategy of trying to drive a wedge between the House Democrats and the Governor- interesting because just a few short weeks ago he claimed the Governor was the problem here.
The Rochester Republican said Democrats who hold a majority in the House are figuratively "in the fetal position sucking on their thumb" and not getting anything done.
Speaker Dillon, your thoughts on this comment?
Yeah, yeah, I know, both sides are trying to bait each other into being the first to... oh, I dunno... SAVE THE STATE or something... crazy as that may seem, but I think we might have reached another low point in Bishop's "race to the bottom" for this year's rhetoric on budget talks.
One can only hope anyway- but somehow these hopes keep getting dashed on the rocks of reality every time Bishop talks to the press.
Oh, and by the way, the Senate approved that $1 billion dollar tax break for business that we talked about last week, guaranteeing that somewhere down the road some other lawmakers will get to have the same kind of fun they are having now, and I'm left to wonder why Schauer, Clarke, Thomas, Barcia and Anderson voted for this...
The Senate just took a party line vote on early retirements- and Sen. Switlaski has something to say about it.
Check the video-
"The fact that they moved the whole thing in one day, from start to finish, no committee meetings, nothing, indicates that they realize the thing has really basic flaws, and I don't think it will survive in the House.
So, I think it maybe is more of a political statement that they want to make a cut. Well, if you want to make a cut, let's see the real cut".
Senate Republicans are back to their old tricks- passing rush job bills so they can crow to the press that they are "saving money".
Problem is, it doesn't save money. It costs more to the state and puts citizens in danger at the same time. Watch the video, Switalski lays it all out for us, complete with the numbers.
Senate Republicans are wasting your time and money. Instead of real reform, they want to destroy the government. This bill just proves it.
Remember last year when Dick DeVos, Brooks Patterson, and the Republicans in the Legislature were running around and telling us how wonderful everything would be if we just eliminated the Single Business Tax?
DETROIT -- Business growth in Metro Detroit -- new ventures and expansion of existing ones -- fell dramatically in the past 12 months compared to the previous year, reflecting the region's slumping economy and uncertainty for much of the year over the state's plans for a new business tax.
Business investment in Southeast Michigan fell from 73 expansions or new projects worth $449.7 million and 2,775 jobs from July 2005 through July 2006, to 45 ventures worth $66.3 million and 644 jobs in the past 12 months, according to a report the Detroit Regional Economic Partnership released Wednesday at its annual luncheon.
And why did investment plans get put on hold?
Uncertainty over how businesses would be taxed by the state was a serious detractor to business development for most of the past year, said Dana Johnson, economist with Comerica Inc.
State legislators and the governor wrangled for months over a new business tax structure, and finally approved one in late June.
"The state was making it extremely hard to attract businesses by not having a tax in place," he said. "How can someone commit to coming here when you can't tell them how they'll be taxed?"
He also noted that without a business tax in place, it was difficult to develop tax breaks to lure businesses.
The Detroit News article tells us that things are in the pipeline and growth is once again expected in the region, but the fact is that the irresponsible fiscal behavior of Michigan Republicans cost us time, jobs and money - all for an election gimmick.
So, when Republicans claim that they know what is best for Michigan now, how can you trust them?
"It doesn't make sense for her to go out and recruit jobs when there isn't an environment here for making a sizable investment," Bishop said.
So, not only does Mike trash the idea of creating jobs, he trashes the whole state in the eyes of investors. Thanks, Mike. You are quite the ambassador for our citizens and our business climate.
We can always count on the Republicans to denigrate Michigan.
And, get this, if the Governor didn't "say bad things" about the Legislature, everything would be just fine!
But then he followed up with a (from his perspective) positive spin on Granholm's upcoming trip, suggesting Granholm's overseas mission might be helpful to the budget discussions because she wouldn't be around making derisive comments about the Legislature.
Yes, that big, mean Governor is picking on them as they turn in one of the worst performances in history. The heart just aches, doesn't it? Poor legislators.
Today's editorial from the Traverse City Record Eagle.
Oh, Mike. You got some 'splaining to do.
Who does he think he is? Dick Cheney?
After a brief fling as Michigan's Censor-in-Chief, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop on Tuesday restored access for lawmakers and staffers to a political Web site that had apparently hurt his feelings.
By the time he reversed himself, however, whatever the site had said about him paled in comparison to the beating he took in the blogosphere and in print - from left and right - over his decision to unilaterally suspend the First Amendment for senators and staffers.
Mike Bishop seems to think that the safety net for his obstruction on the 2008 budget is a continuation of the budget currently in place. If he manages to stall past Oct. 1st, we could just push this baby right to the end of the year.
No single FY 2008 department budget has passed more than one legislative chamber and the talks between the House and Senate are creeping along. A state budget needs to be in place by Oct. 1, making a shutdown an "imminent potential event."
"We don't want a shutdown," Cherry told MIRS. "But I think anybody who has some sense of how state government operates sits here in the middle of August…and wonders how this can be avoided."
To which Bishop replied - and tell me that this guy hasn't been talking to Dick DeVos lately when you hear this statement -
"I think it's irresponsible for elected members of government to talk about shutting down government services. She shouldn't use it as a threat," Bishop said. "She's the CEO of the company. She's got the ability to make sure that (a shutdown) doesn't happen, and if that's the case, she shouldn't use it as a threat."
State government as a business. Didn't we hear that theme last year? Didn't it go down to a 14 pt. defeat? Maybe Mike missed that. After all, he was oblivious to the budget problem too.
While Senate Republicans were busy trying to curtail free speech, the Governor was out trying to do something about the recent tuition hikes at state universities.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Monday asked leaders of the state's 15 public universities to consider lightening the burden of recently approved tuition increases in return for a funding increase of up to 5 percent this fall.
In a private meeting at her 14th floor office in Detroit's Cadillac Place, Granholm called on university presidents and board members -- many of whom listened on a conference call -- to restrain midyear tuition hikes and lower costs for the second semester.
Senate Republicans, of course, will have no part of cheaper tuition rates for our state's college kids. They went back to the old song and dance of "reforms", offering nothing on their part, and further stalling progress for our state.
The proposal hinges on the outcome of slow-moving negotiations in Lansing over the 2008 state budget. The key for Granholm would be to persuade Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, who says he's not ready to sign off on any deal she makes with university officials.
"Currently, there's no budget," said Bishop's spokesman, Matt Marsden, referring to the $1.8 billion deficit the Legislature is working to resolve for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
There is no budget because Senate Republicans refuse to work on one.
"We can't figure out what's available for universities until we know where we can make cuts and reforms necessary to produce the savings we need. The governor really should be talking about cuts and reforms, not promising somebody more money at this point."
So, where are these "reforms" that Senate Republicans keep talking about? Where is their plan?
And on top of that, are they going to try to tell the Governor what she should say now, too?
Senate Republicans have done nothing but mouth platitudes about the budget situation.
Offer up your "cuts and reforms", Republicans. Get it on the table.
Until you do, you are nothing but obstructionists.
Hello. My name is Cathleen Carrigan, but you know me as wizardkitten. You might remember me from my extensive body of work on the election last year.
It appears that my series on Mike Bishop and the Senate Republicans here at Blogging For Michigan has caused quite the nationwide stir.
Good.
It's about time that people started paying attention to the fact that Mike Bishop and the Senate Republicans are blocking progress for the citizens of Michigan. The Republican Party in this state has obstructed my Governor, Jennifer Granholm, at every turn during her time in office, and I want the whole nation to know about it. They are currently dragging their feet on fixing the budget crisis that faces Michigan, and that has been my focus for most of this year, both at this site and at my own blog.
I started this series on July 24th- it's the "Senate Republican Statement of the Day". I decided to do this after reading the Senate Journals and listening to these guys get up day after day and say the most outrageous things... and I felt it was time to give them a little more publicity.
Apparently Mike Bishop has taken offense to a post I did on Bruce Patterson, and decided to shut off access to this site for the Michigan Senate. Senate Republicans are trying to claim that this is the work of a Senate employee because, according to MIRS- "the blog updated after session and it coincides with what the Senate's doing."
Yes. Just as soon as you guys put this on the web, and the stories hit the papers/journals, I am on it. I am just that quick.
I found it very interesting that you would single out this blog and try to keep us from speaking out, especially right when the Senate Democrats are going to start a series of posts here. Other people are finding that interesting as well.
Let's address the post that Bishop/Miner is referring to. If you look at that post on Patterson, you will see that it was made the day after he said the things that he said.
Mike Bishop made a surprising statement on last week's To The Point, so I thought I would offer it up for today.
At the time it slipped by me, because, well, you could almost put the whole Granholm-bashing transcript up and call it the "statement of the day". I grew weary of listening to him, and he was only on for 15 minutes.
This was pointed out to me later as odd- and when I listened again, yes, it seemed rather odd that Bishop would say this-
Albin: Have the six months that you've just experienced been what you expected?
Bishop: It's a good question... certainly my wife would give you a different answer...
You know, the budget has become quite a large issue, one that I didn't anticipate, and it's one that will continue to be a large issue... and the answer is no, it's much more budget oriented than it was in the past, but it's our responsibility and we are prepared to do it.
Mike didn't anticipate the budget problem?
Was he just not paying attention when last December the news reports indicated this? (Peter Luke 12/22/2006- now archived)
Most fiscal analysts peg current budget shortfalls this fiscal year between $300 million and $600 million, with about half of that occurring in the K-12 education budget. In fiscal year 2008, the House Fiscal Agency is identifying nearly $700 million in new spending pressures for which there is no new tax revenue.
And Mike didn't know about that when he walked in the door as the new Senate Majority leader last January?
I swear there isn't a day goes by that Nancy Cassis isn't trying to figure out some way to stick it to the poor and the working class people in this state.
From introducing "right to work" legislation, to suspending the prevailing wage, to the newest and perhaps most vile move, trying to prevent the Earned Income Tax Credit from going into effect in January 2008, Cassis proves time and time again that she is one of those Republicans that is trying to return us to the Gilded Age.
A little back-story on this story- our previous Republican legislature made some mistakes writing the minimum wage bill last year. In their haste, they ignored a flaw that would give overtime pay to some workers currently not qualified. They knew it was there. "We'll deal with the fallout later", they said.
When business freaked out about that, the Republicans had to come up to the window with something to get the Governor to sign off on a fix. Off we went on months of bargaining as the Republicans scrambled to rectify the error they created with their casual indifference.
August 30th last year they reached an agreement to save their skin with the business community- and it included an earned income tax credit for the working poor. Democrats and Republicans alike praised the move; Bob Emerson proclaiming "this bill is a major step in making our tax structure less regressive", admitting that the tax burden falls disproportionately on the poor here in Michigan.
Everyone is happy, right? Not Cassis.
Nancy tries to take food from the mouths of children over the flip...
