The MSM has seemingly lost interest in the state budget; things happened, things were said, no one is reporting on the overall movement except for the pay services. The MSM is reporting on the fallout from the lack of action on the budget, though, in the form of the tuition increases- with a big, above the fold headline in the Detroit News today.
First, here is your Senate Republican SOD for 7/25-
"Besides, if we put out a realistic budget now it would just scare people." - Ron Jelinek (R- Three Oaks)
Republicans? Worried about scaring people? That's a new twist.
Jelinek was explaining the reason for the Big Stall on the part of the Senate Republicans on the budget- find out the latest over the jump...
The House, to their credit, is finally showing some signs of life. They passed the budget for the DNR and the DEQ, and both reflected spending increases from the state's general fund. (That would be the one that is almost $1.8 billon short at this point, depending on which figures you are looking at.)
The overall DNR budget would increase by about 10 percent compared to the current fiscal year. That includes an 8.5 percent increase in the state's general fund allocation, raising that total to about $26.4 million.
And for the DEQ, a drop in budget (thanks, feds!), but they really sock the general fund.
The overall Department of Environmental Quality budget would drop by about 14.6 percent, including an expected reduction in money for restricted funds and allocations from the federal government. But the DEQ's state general fund allocation would increase by 61 percent, to about $49.6 million, under the House plan.
They haven't come up with the money to pay for these things- but at least they are doing something.
Cushingberry wants to move on the budget now.
Mr. Cushingberry said it was his intention to at least show people what the House has in store for next year's budget.
He said the Appropriations Committee will move next week on the higher education (HB 4350 and HB 4351), community colleges (HB 4360), School Aid (HB 4359) and Department of Education (HB 4346) budgets.
And he also said that if the Senate does not send the House any of its budget bills in the next two weeks, then subcommittees in the lower chamber will begin work on those budgets.
He argued "some senators" believe the Legislature can wait to enact the budgets on September 30, but Mr. Cushingberry said, "I'd like the community to know at least what this house has in mind. If the Senate wants to stew and determine what they want to do they can do that."
Yes, that is exactly what the Senate wants to do.
More mumbled promises of "reforms" and the indication that they just need more time to figure out these things... funny how they demand instant action from the Governor and everyone else, wring their hands and cry to the media over the state of Michigan's economy, but yet when the rubber meets the road and they need to actually address these issues, they put on the Big Stall.
Again from Jelinek, this time from MIRS. Call this your bonus statement of the day.
On the Senate side, there is no rush. Senate Appropriations Chair Ron Jelinek (R-Three Oaks) said he wants to wait a little longer in the hopes of finding out how much money the state can bring in from revenue reforms.
"I would guess that we're looking at the end of August before we get too much movement here," he said.
The end of August.
Wait, what happened to Bishop's list of demands? He had this problem all worked out, remember?
Turns out it wasn't such a good idea after all. The Governor has asked the Senate to pass the cuts, and they won't do it.
Jelinek said he does not want to compose a new budget based on service cuts alone. "The cuts are not pretty," he explains. "They're tough. "
The Governor has urged the Republicans to pass their budget with the cuts, but that most certainly would produce an outcry from the special interest groups being sliced and diced. Apparently, the GOP lawmakers want no part of that.
I guess you could call children living in poverty a "special interest group" if you're a cold-hearted, cynical reporter, because that is exactly the kind of cuts the Republicans have in mind.
But something tells me the GOP got slapped pretty hard for their previous stunts and cuts to the '07 budget- we don't see Bishop throwing a fit and running off to pass more insane cuts as he did back in the spring.
Still, they will push this to the final hour, if they can.
Meanwhile, you get to pay the price.
Wayne State is the latest university to announce a tuition hike, and it's a hefty one.
The cost to attend Wayne State University jumped nearly 18 percent Wednesday, adding the university to a growing list of Michigan public colleges that have hiked tuition in recent weeks and potentially put college out of reach for more students.
In all, 14 Michigan public universities have raised tuition on average 11.2 percent for this fall. Coupled with room and board increases, a typical undergraduate will pay on average $1,200 more to earn a public education.
Phil Power tells us today that the Michigan Republicans are still up to their old campaign tricks, using bad pictures and indulging in the deepest hypocrisy.
On their Web site, the GOP ran a picture of Gov. Jennifer Granholm looking tired and frazzled next to the headline, "Granholm Travels to Germany/Sweden While Michigan Burns."
In other words, it's OK for the Senate Republicans to drag their feet on the budget, raising tuition at a time when college education is crucial to our recovery, and push Michigan closer to a crisis of shutdown, but it's not OK for the Governor to go and promote investment and job growth in Michigan.
Yeah.
No wonder they want to stall. They got nothing.