Sunday, September 30, 2007

SB772 and 773 "Continuation budget"

We are voting on a 30-day continuation budget. It passed 107-0. This keeps the state running.

773 keeps the schools going for 30 days. These bills are essentially 1/12th of 2007 dollars to last through October.

The Dems did tie-bar it to the whopping income tax increase. If we don't vote for 4.3% income tax, the kids can't go to school, I guess. Don't call it extortion.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

The kids can stay home. See how the reality of that goes over.

Joel Oliver said...

The kids won't mind, I promise Jack.

Anonymous said...

Than keep the kids home from school for a few days while you guys fight this!!!

wolflady48884 said...

IF that is the way they want to play then fine shut the schools down too. Or let the Dems vote for the stinking tax increase and we will look forward to having the Republicans back in control come 2008.

Anonymous said...

It's extortion.

:grin:

Anonymous said...

This is the kind of thing that angers people. It angers me. The People are being held hostage by Liberals. They are bullies and terrorists, plain and simple.

wolflady48884 said...

Let them go ahead my e-mail box is filling up with people saying Recall anyone who votes for the tax regardless of the consequences and that includes 2 penny Jenny. My bet is once the petitions are approved and printed the signatures needed will only take about 2 weeks to gather.

Anonymous said...

THAT IS EXTORTION! I'm a paralegal - I should KNOW extortion when I see it. How can they allow that??!!

I don't care - I'll be happy to keep my kids home and teach them! SHUT THE DAMN STATE DOWN! This has become intolerable....the Dems are going to get everything they want through pure bullying and illegal tactics.

I'm pretty sure there is an Amendment to the US Constitution that addresses a government that has run amok and is engaging in illegal practices contrary to the will of the people it is supposed to represent. I'm also quite sure there are a number of people in Michigan who are well aware of this particular Amendment.

Anonymous said...

How long will schools remain open if the shutdown occurs?

And, even with the continuation bill, will schools still get full payment to be able to continue operations?

I've got my plates, I will need to get my deer tags before the 15th of November, but there are not too many other "services" besides police and fire and school for kids I will miss.

Has anyone really thought out how little a shutdown will affect them?

Anonymous said...

Wolflady - put me on your LIST! I want in on that action! ESPECIALLY on our illustrious governor. I didn't like her before all this, but the straw that broke the camel's back was the Michigan State Police Headquarters and the way she lied right on TV - and tried to blame Michigan State. I felt bad for the spokesperson for MSU.

Someone know how to get in contact with the Spokesperson from MSU shown on the Channel 7 piece? Bet he's none too happy right now.

Anonymous said...

Fight raising the taxes!!! Our state is already losing people by leaps and bounds. We don't need to chase more away with a raise in income tax and sales tax. It's time to cut the waste - we need our legislators to take on the waste of the MEA and others. See http://www.mackinac.org/ for suggestions.

Anonymous said...

Shut down the state! My husband is a state employee with the prison system and he doesn't mind giving up some days to give you time to fight the extortion!

Anonymous said...

I'm an attorney. It may keep me out of court for a few days and I couldn't care less. If they shut it down long enough, maybe we can save 1.8 billion and they won't have to do anything.

Unknown said...

Do you think you could include an extension of gun rights to this bill?

Dan said...

So we're getting double taxed? Thanks guys. Really.

Fire Millen! Fire Dillon! Fire Schauer! Fire Granholm!

Anonymous said...

You do realize that the U.S. Constitution has a handy Amendment for dealing with government run amok and going against the will of the people?

I would think the founding fathers had just this sort of thing in mind when they wrote it.

Anonymous said...

Shut the State down now. IF they can't figure a way out of this mess without raising taxes than so be it. Let the people of Michigan know what the dems are doing, make a list of everyone of them that voted to raise taxes and bullied the bill by extortion. How many more people will move out of Michigan now that the taxes are being increased? The more taxes, the less tax payers. That's one way to increase the deficit

Anonymous said...

THANKS for keeping us up-to-date Jack!

What a bunch of crap, attaching an INCREASED TAX bill to the continuation Bill! I think ALL state employees should be mandated to give up one day a month without pay. That would save the State millions. I wish my previous employer would have offered that option before they closed the plant I was working in and moved it out of state.

Impeach the lying governor NOW!

Anonymous said...

please use common sense, we MUST restructure our state government. we must cut employees, benefits, what ever it takes. if this were my own business the cuts would have been made long ago.
I WILL LEAD AND SUPPORT RECALL OF ALL WHO VOTE TO RAISE TAXES.
how can working for the state pay better than it's constituants?
SHUT IT DOWN

Anonymous said...

Jack,
We've got to stand firm. Tell us who needs last minute emails... which Republicans look like they may cave?

Anonymous said...

I agree, ALL who vote for any tax increase needs to be recalled, including the Gov.!

Anonymous said...

Michigan Senate Republicans are just going into caucus, we should contact our Senators now

Anonymous said...

Where is the accountability in all of this? I agree with those who say go ahead and close the schools. People have got to realize what is truly happening there. The people of Michigan cannot afford more taxes, we're already leading the nation in the number of people LEAVING this state! The only people coming are those who are taking advantage of our wonderful welfare system.

Our conservative elected officials have got to STAND FIRM! We're watching!

Anonymous said...

I have been working for the state for 5 years. It was a mess then, it is a mess now. I had 15 coworkers when I started now I have 9. Only because they REFUSE to replace them. Don't attack state employees for the actions of the government. We have nothing to do with it. I say no new taxes and in this case I will give up my pay. We have done this several times since I have come on board. Most people don't realize we have already had fulough days along with paying us less than the 80 hours we worked per pay period. Direct your anger some other place, most state employees work hard for you.

Anonymous said...

I am having trouble understanding the 30-day continuation budget. Are you saying that the Legislature (both Houses) passed the 30-day continuation budget with the sales tax increase, income tax increase but without passing SB418 and taking on MESSA and the MEA? If I am understanding this correctly then I can honestly tell you that I have to get out of this state because I hate this Governor (and those that sat in her chair for the past 50 years that got us into this mess) and the Legislature. I will never ever vote again or until I am voting for a candidate that I don't refer to as the lesser of evils. I will do my part as I always do at the non-existent grassroots level in Michigan (grassroots exists in many states but not in Michigan where we have become citizens that define complacent and wearing surgically implanted rose-colored contacts) to impact the lives of children and adults with disabilities and living in poverty (or close enough to!)...but I will not use my vote because I can no longer live with myself or the consequences. I live in a state where the selfish and out-of-whack needs of the MEA and MESSA outweigh the health and well being of all Michiganians and with Governor after Governor and Legislature after Legislature that are too weak of mind and spirit to do what is right for the very health and foundation of this state. Something is so seriously wrong and beyond disurbing.

Anonymous said...

I have worked for this state for 17 years. In that time I have voted to forego my pay raises in order to help out and do my part, I've had days off without pay, I've had to work 80 hours and only get paid for 72 (what about you Jack? ready to give back that 38% raise yet????) I've seen my section dwindle from 11 people to 2 and still be expected to get the same amount of work done. Research has taken a back seat to everyday testing and everyday I hear how we need another manager to get things done. You want to cut waste...cut back on upper management..the pyramid is on it's point....way too many chiefs and not enough indians.....I have 7 bosses for just me and one co-worker....is that necessary??? no!
I'm a hard working tax payer just like the rest of you....and NO I don't make more than you do and yes I have a family too. STOP trying to balance the budget on the backs of the workers....try REALLY cutting the waste instead....I'm not your enemy, I'm not the wasted money in this state, I'm just a grunt doing the work that 6 people used to do and trying to feed my family while I pay the SAME taxes you pay

Anonymous said...

There the true cowards go again! Hiding their tax hike behind our children. Pathetic.

These spineless, devious, twits need to be exposed, and shown the exit

Can't have an outright vote up or down for your "destroy Michigan first" policies, so you tack them onto other MORE IMPORTANT legislation in order to blackmail your opposition into voting for it. Disgusting.

SHUT THIS MESS DOWN

Unknown said...

To anon. re: my 38% raise. Get over it! That was enacted two years before I was even elected! Hey, I am happy to receive the generous pay that I do, but I have not had a raise in 5 years either, how about you?

I am the one who introduced and pushed hard for a part-time legislature and a huge pay cut!

Anonymous said...

send the kids to the capital while they fight this out and will see how fast things get done!

Anonymous said...

Jack - tell the GOP the people would rather have a shut down than another tax hike to go along with the one we just got! Seriously. It is cowardly and disgusting Granholm has tied keeping the schools open to the tax hike! You guys can NOT let her get away with that. I really hope that there are members of the media who are up there that will report this HONESTLY!

Anonymous said...

Michigan’S FY ’08 has been patched. Still no one seems to discuss Michigan’s population growth, which is projected as flat through 2030 [http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/statepyramid.html ]. Fewer are aware of or talk about the Clack-Granholm-Scott knot. The knot welcomed City of Detroit Seniors to Michigan’s capitol last week. The same seniors hopefully will not be buying anything service related.
People have noted the eight month run up to Michigan’s four hour government shut down: few have noticed that Clack has had an eight month moratorium on moving legislation, referred by both Michigan’s House and Senate, out of her House Committee on Children and Family Services.
What else do the knot women have planned? Not all Democrats embraced, with open arms, the “Budget Deal”, Democrats seek legislation blocked in Committee, not by Republicans, rather by the knot.
Last night Granholm was walking the House floor while Cherry was in the Senate. Last week the UAW presented its demands, while those men and women went to the streets: the Clack-Granholm-Scott knot sat still on legislation and prepared to raise our taxes, these women are clever and manipulated an appearance of propriety and concern: why is it than that I feel used and abused?
A close look reveals a knot in the system not the partisan split we are told to believe in. Please do not forget the Cigarette settlement money and lotto proceeds as well as the new cigarette tax have already been folded into the Budget.
Why would a Flint Representative bus in Detroit Seniors one week only to expand their sales tax the next? The Clack-Granholm-Scott knot has plans, Michiganders should look very hard to get beyond what we are told to feel and discover what the knot’s plans really are?
-BobV01