[nfbmi-talk] another story on budget cuts

[joe harcz Comcast]

Document on $3 Million In State Cuts Leaked - WLNS TV 6 Lansing Jackson Michigan News and Weather - WLNS.COM |

 

 

A document has been released on how the state could eliminate $3 billion in state services, cuts some would call crazy. And the leak of the report has caused

a stir.

 

The 26 page document was prepared by the Granholm budget office. It is chucked full of budget cutting ideas. Try these on for size: elimination of all state

police road patrols, turning the University of Michigian into a private institution, eliminating $400 million in state aid to the cities, privatizing one

state prison and the list goes on and on.

 

The budget director reports that neither the current governor or the new one coming in requested these suggestions, and while the Snyder transition team

appreciates the document, it will not use it.

 

"We're going to do our own independent evaluation of every single aspect of state government. We really feel that we need to get in there ourselves, take

a look with fresh eyes on these things, and make decisions based on that approach," said Rep. Brian Calley, (R) Lt. Governor-Elect.

 

The budget director indicates given the magnitude of the deficit, some of the ideas are going to be crazy.

 

"Trying to fill a three billion dollar hole and an eight billion dollar budget, you're not going to come up with nothing but rational and sane ideas. A

lot of them are crazy, yes," said Bob Emerson, state budget director.

 

Those who believe new revenue will be needed to eradicate the deficit, contend the document lays the groundwork for just that.

 

"If you're going to balance the budget with all cuts, it's going to be impossible. I think that's kind of the take-away from that particular document. We're

going to have to have real discussions about using mixed solutions to the budget problems that we face," said Gretchen Whitmer, (D) East Lansing.

 

By that she means new revenue and cuts. But the incoming republican chair of the House budget committee rejects the Whitmer new revenue notion.

 

"Gretchen Whitmer would say that if we had a three billion dollar surplus. She never met a tax she didn't like," said Rep. Chuck Moss, (R) House budget

chair.

 

Whether the new Snyder administration will like any of these cuts, is anybody's guess.

 

Link to story at:

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=13605886