(Re-posted to drive the Lefty Blogwire crazy. WOOD now has the video here.)
Not a happy Governor.
LANSING -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced this morning she will order a $125-per-pupil cut for public school students to deal with the state's growing fiscal problem.
Letters to school superintendents informing them of the cuts will go out on Monday, the governor said.
The Legislature would then have 30 days to react. Lawmakers could accept or reject the cuts, or come up with the money to avoid the reductions.
"I'm angry at the Senate Republicans for having an extremist ideology. No matter what happens to Michigan, they won't consider revenues," Granholm told reporters this morning.
Go get 'em. Time to call these guys out.
Christoff at the Freep has more. Glad to see him doing this story and not Bell. He is much more thorough and leaves out the editorializing.
A visibly angry Granholm accused Republicans of stonewalling budget negotiations with “extremist” antitax positions that she said are harming schools.
“We need revenues to be able to save our schools,” Granholm told reporters, after she announced the $125-per-pupil aid cut to hundreds of school officials from around the state gathered here for a conference.
“I’m angry at Senate Republicans for having a purely extremist ideology of never, no way ever, regardless of how it impacts Michigan, will they ever consider revenues. That philosophy is damaging to Michigan.“
"Waaaah! She called us names!", said Bishop's Best Boy. (I certainly leave in the editorializing. But I'm not a reporter. Keep that in mind.)
Marsden called Granholm’s remarks “excessive and unnecessary” and said Senate Republicans have moved legislation to erase the current year’s deficit without tax increase – cuts he said Granholm has refused.
“She can throw out all she wants, call us names,” Marsden said. “But Senate Republicans are leading the way in solving the 2007 budget deficit with cuts and reforms.”
And those cuts were rejected by the House also, so you aren't really "leading" anything, are you, Republican mouthpiece? What part of "no" don't you understand?
And notice how we have two different quotes here from Granholm already. That is why these press conferences need to be up on the 'net. If someone puts it up, I will link to it. (edit- and WOOD did, see above)
Just yesterday there were rumors of the Senate Republicans accepting some sort of increase- but Bishop was there singing his "cuts" song, too, so who knows what is really going on at this point.
There have been all kinds of mixed messages in the media as to what the Republicans will do; they don't want to be responsible for these horrific cuts, but yet they don't want to pay for anything either. Perhaps it's best to just sit back and see how this plays out.
Push is coming to shove now. Fingers crossed that some sort of sanity prevails.
UPDATE: 6:44PM- Well, my hope for sanity is probably in vain. I'm sitting here wondering if any Democrats are going to stick up for the Governor or for the rest of us at all. This issue also needs to be addressed-
The House has voted to close some of what they call tax loopholes, which could raise more than $60 million. House Democrats have proposed some other tax increases but haven't voted on them, and it's not clear if any of the suggestions have enough support to pass the chamber.
The House hasn't taken much of a stand. And we've got Bishop taking repeated swipes at the Governor while he proclaims that he and Dillon are "Best Friends Forever!"
Bishop said he and Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon are making progress on fixing the budget, without Granholm's involvement.
"For some reason, she feels the need every once in a while to explode and just act absolutely like a child," Bishop said.
That statement is unconscionable, and I hope that the MDP (not holding my breath there) or the Senate Dems say something about it.
The Senate Republicans are insisting on massive cuts to schools, cities and health care, and I'm not seeing a lot of life out of the Democrats (besides the Guv) to point this fact out.
C'mon guys. You will be blamed for this also. Just watch what is happening to Granholm. Next they will come for you. I guarantee it.