LANSING – State Representative Robert Jones (D-Kalamazoo) said today that although Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed the final state budgets to avoid a government shutdown, the overall budget takes Michigan in the wrong direction and is the result of the Senate's refusal to fund priorities such as education that will turn our state around.
"Priorities such as education for our kids, police and fire protection, and health care for our families should be at the top of the list when balancing the budget," Jones said. "However, this Senate-led budget puts these priorities on the back burner. Slashing programs that our residents rely on to educate our kids, keep our communities safe and help our businesses grow is not the way to revitalize our economy. I will continue to fight to put the interests of our residents first."
The Governor and Dillon had sought to work in a bipartisan fashion with the Senate. Dillon had received a commitment from Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) to work in a bipartisan manner and show a good-faith effort to seek a middle ground through compromise, but Bishop broke his word.
House Democrats have more than met the Senate halfway in working to resolve the state's budget crisis. House Dems have reduced state spending by more than $2 billion and agreed to use the Senate plan as a starting point for negotiations. The Senate, however, turned their backs on compromise, failing to show the effort that Michigan residents expect from their leaders.