Want a sneak preview? Check out what happened in Detroit last night.
She dodged the first question, but the guy was proposing a radical action that wasn't any kind of solution at all. Get farther into it and you will begin to understand what we are facing here.Nice job with Tricia Kinley of the disingenuous Michigan Chamber of Commerce. Here is Tricia's question, or, mini-speech, hard to tell which it is, really.
Kinley: We agree with your desire in the long term approach for diversification, it's certainly needed here in Michigan, but the fact of the matter is in 9 out of the 10 last years, most recent years, total state spending has gone up all of those years but one, to an all time record high of $41.8 billion dollars, and in this current budget that you're proposing, you're proposing $941 million dollars in increased spending in new programs, while asking Michigan's families and job providers to pay $1.4 billion dollars in new taxes, why not reign in spending instead because the total state budget has gone up in 9 out of 10 years?
Tricia throws out the big numbers to try to scare people. Tricia knows better. Granholm goes on to point out the fallacies of Tricia's argument, and those can be seen right here in these handy charts.
We are not talking about $41.8 billion, we are talking about $9.2. This is the General Fund- the money we get to play with.
Here is how that has diminished in recent years-
30% less revenue in our General Fund. Since 1999. Because of tax cuts.
That, in a nutshell, is the problem we are facing. "Reigning in state spending" is therefore not what is at issue here.
Granholm hands it right back to Tricia.
Granholm: The question is, for businesses, what is going to make them competitive. Yes, having a competitive tax structure is important, but they also want to have educated workers, do they not?
Kinley: They certainly do.
Granholm: Right. And they also want to make sure that when they pick up the phone to call the police, a police officer comes, don't they?
Kinley: They certainly do.
Granholm: Right. And they want to make sure that their health... that we're not subsidizing the cost of health care for seniors or children or people with disabilities... you don't want to have to have businesses pay for all that, right?
Kinley: That's certainly true.
Granholm: So there's a role for government in those things, and the question is can we work together on finding the most competitive business climate, as well as the ability to invest in our state.
Tricia stands there with a stupid grin on her face. Moderator cuts off at that point to go to commercial.
Here is what Tricia turned around and said to the Detroit News-
Tricia Kinley, tax policy expert at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce who was a member of the audience, said the state can balance its books with cuts.
"This amounted to a feel-good road show. She didn't dive into the fact that she's asking families and job providers for a $1.4 billion tax increase," Kinley said.
So, Tricia repeats her talking point and slams the presentation.
Tricia wants all the things mentioned above, but yet Tricia doesn't want to pay for them, insisting instead on "more cuts".
So, what are we going to cut Tricia? Hmmmm? Tell us which of the things you agreed that "business" wants- education, police, health care- tell us which of those you would cut so you don't have to pay for the lifestyle you want.
Better yet, let's ask the Republican legislators that tried to put on a preemptive show on Monday. At first they mention that magic word "restructuring", which they still haven't explained, and they try a sleight-of-hand trick with the overspending of a few departments last year- spending that was beyond any one's control.
"I believe that we have to do restructuring of state government, and cost containment, before we do anything else," Robertson said. "The administration wants to raise taxes. And if we raise taxes, then there'll be no incentive to engage in the needed restructuring of government."
Robertson is particularly concerned with three state departments that overspent their budgets by $70 million. He's calling for an end to overspending before any talk on this state budget.
This overspending was due to increased need in corrections, fuel prices, etc. I guess the Republicans are suggesting we should decline on arresting the ax murderers or something. Just pull all the cops off the road. Stop health care for prisoners- maybe we can make 60 Minutes again!
Yeah. That'll work.
Next, we are back to these phantom "cuts" that the Republicans are calling their "plan".
Other than containing costs, Robertson never mentioned any specifics on how the Republicans would fix the budget. Local Democrats say at least they have a plan.
Yes, they do. The Governor does, anyway. Let's hope they aren't obstructed by Republicans who want to have their cake and eat it too.
Watch the Governor tonight on WOOD TV 8 at 7PM.