Train Wreck Coming in 30 Days

In 30 days the budget year expires and a new one begins. The State Constitution mandates a balanced budget by October 1st. The House has passed spending bills worth $2 BILLION more than projected revenue. We are well behind schedule to get the budget balanced by October.

In spite of all that, guess what is the sum total of all the legislation this House of Representatives passed all week long: A bill (SB 624) to declare January 15, 2008 as Presidential Primary Election Day.

That's it. One solitary bill.

I should point out that the best intentions of any Republican, and for that matter, many Democrats do not matter. It is the Speaker of the House and the Majority Floor Leader, (both Democrats in this Dem majority House) who decide what bills will be voted on and when.

Train Wreck Coming in 30 Days

In 30 days the budget year expires and a new one begins. The State Constitution mandates a balanced budget by October 1st. The House has passed spending bills worth $2 BILLION more than projected revenue. We are well behind schedule to get the budget balanced by October.

In spite of all that, guess what is the sum total of all the legislation this House of Representatives passed all week long: A bill (SB 624) to declare January 15, 2008 as Presidential Primary Election Day.

That's it. One solitary bill.

I should point out that the best intentions of any Republican, and for that matter, many Democrats do not matter. It is the Speaker of the House and the Majority Floor Leader, (both Democrats in this Dem majority House) who decide what bills will be voted on and when.

A Sure Way to Kill Job Growth in Michigan

Michigan badly needs new jobs.  Can employers invest and grow in the Great Lake State without damaging the environment? Of course they can, but in order to achieve job growth while preserving the environment, we need to set policy based on accurate information and common sense.   Let's talk about water withdrawal for example...

Is it possible to drain Lake Michigan?

You may have heard of past battles over the water bottling plant in Evart, Michigan.  Nestle Waters (Ice Mountain) has created hundreds of jobs by bottling and selling spring water.  Our friends who are concerned about the environment apparently are not using common sense and good science to set policy. We can protect our surface and ground water without enacting overburdensome regulations that kill economic growth.
 
There is a package of bills in the House (HB5065-5073) that would literally choke off any new investment by Nestle or any other bottling plant in our state (whether that be water, fruit juices, carbonated beverages or beer).  This package of bills would also strongly discourage new investment by any manufacturing firm that uses water in large quantities. For that matter, these bills would make it difficult even for large farming operations to prosper.
 
Here are some of the things this bill package would do:

• Reduce water withdrawal from any great lake to 1,000,000 gallons per day


• Enact aggressive new permitting requirements


• Increase permit fees to $2,500


• Give the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) 180 days to review and grant the permit (not including an unlimited amount of time to be sure the application is "complete")


• Generally give the DEQ broad authority to regulate, restrict and penalize any producer or manufacturer in Michigan who they believe is using too much water.

Some Perspective

How much water is 1 million gallons and does it matter to Lake Michigan?  Lake Michigan alone has 1,180 cubic MILES of water. If you were to plug all the streams and rivers flowing into Lake Michigan and try to drain it at 1 million gallons per day, it would take over 3.5 million years to empty! Or, if one thousand new companies set up shop in Michigan, and each one used one million gallons a day, it would take over 3,500 years to empty the lake. But that does not account for the fact that the water is continually replaced every year from snow and rainfall.
 
How much does the water bottling plant in Evart, MI affect surface and ground water? The Ice Mountain plant bottles 161 million gallons of water per year. Compare that to total water usage in Michigan by all manufacturers, farms, golf courses, power plants and municipal water suppliers. They use a total of almost 4 trillion gallons of water per year. Ice Mountain's portion of that usage amounts to 7 one-thousandths of one percent. And yet, a package of bills has been introduced to choke off new investment by companies like Ice Mountain.
 
Michigan is already one of the most regulated states in the country. Commerce and industry move quickly.  It is unrealistic to think that a company is going to put their plans on hold for six months (at best) while they wait for the DEQ to make a decision about whether they can build and grow.
 
Let's face it; this legislative package is aimed squarely at Ice Mountain. They and others would like to expand into Michigan, where we have so much water underground, that we need sump pumps in almost every basement. (And, by the way, we IMPORT more bottled water than we export.)
 
If we pass this these bills, we will only further cripple this state's ability to ever recover from the worst economic slump in at least twenty years.
 
The bottom line is, Michigan will lose opportunities while other states gain. This is something we can no longer afford to do.

Press Announcement: Transparency and Accountability

Hoogendyk Introduces Transparency Act

Or, "Whatever Happened to the $10 Million?"

LANSING, MI August 27, 2007 - State Rep. Jack Hoogendyk thinks Michigan residents have a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.
 
Hoogendyk today introduced House Bill 5137 as part of the Michigan Government Funding and Transparency Act, to require the Department of Management and Budget to develop and operate a single, searchable web site accessible to the public at no charge that would feature a detailed list of all state expenditures. "This could be described as 'Google Government', said Hoogendyk, (R) Texas Twp. "It will be an easy way for anyone with a computer and Internet access to search every dime of state expenditures.
 
Hoogendyk pointed out overspending by the Department of Information Technology as an example of the lack of accountability. In December of 2003, the department approved a $10 million expenditure in the last month of a 40 month consulting contract with Policy Studies Incorporated that had no explanation or description of what the $10 million was for. "How can a department of State spend that much money with no apparent accountability?", asked Hoogendyk. "This Act will ensure that we know exactly where the money went."  
 
HB 5137 is modeled on bipartisan federal legislation passed by Congress and signed into law last year. U.S. Senators Tom Coburn and Barack Obama sponsored the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act to place all grants and contracts online. The federal web site is scheduled to be fully operational by January 2008. Similar legislation has already been introduced or passed in five other states.
 
"We need this legislation to make government more user friendly," Hoogendyk said. "It is unconscionable that our citizens should have to file a FOIA request and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars in copy and legal fees to access information that other states place on the Internet for all to review free of charge."

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Clueless

I write this from the House floor at 1:15 a.m. Yes, it is the middle of the night. We started 12 hours ago. In that time period, we have voted exactly 20 times and passed exactly 7 bills. You probably don't care, and it would be hard to fully explain the procedures involved, but suffice to say, I am quite sure "we" do not know what we are doing. Certain individuals need to go to school and learn Mason's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure.

This is the most surreal day I have experienced in my 4 and a half years in the House. It is a day I will tell my grandchildren about...and their eyes will glaze over.

Clueless

I write this from the House floor at 1:15 a.m. Yes, it is the middle of the night. We started 12 hours ago. In that time period, we have voted exactly 20 times and passed exactly 7 bills. You probably don't care, and it would be hard to fully explain the procedures involved, but suffice to say, I am quite sure "we" do not know what we are doing. Certain individuals need to go to school and learn Mason's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure.

This is the most surreal day I have experienced in my 4 and a half years in the House. It is a day I will tell my grandchildren about...and their eyes will glaze over.

Higher Education Budget Grows by a Near-whopping 14%

The new budget for Higher Education (HB 4350 and 4351) is increasing by $228 million on general fund spending. It amounts to 14.1%.

The manner and timing of this year's budget process in the House is truly remarkable. Here it is, 5 weeks before the new budget year and we still are not finished. We are set to spend $2 billion MORE in general fund money than we have available and there is NO PLAN to come up with the money to balance the budget as the constitution mandates.

The next 5 weeks will be very interesting.

Higher Education Budget Grows by a Near-whopping 14%

The new budget for Higher Education (HB 4350 and 4351) is increasing by $228 million on general fund spending. It amounts to 14.1%.

The manner and timing of this year's budget process in the House is truly remarkable. Here it is, 5 weeks before the new budget year and we still are not finished. We are set to spend $2 billion MORE in general fund money than we have available and there is NO PLAN to come up with the money to balance the budget as the constitution mandates.

The next 5 weeks will be very interesting.

Community College Budget Grows by a Whopping 15%

Yes, community colleges are important. Yes, they provide affordable education. But, where are we going to get the extra $43 million to cover this 15% increase in the budget? (HB 4360)

Has your income increased by 15% in the last year?

You can read this and all other budgets on www.michiganvotes.org

Community College Budget Grows by a Whopping 15%

Yes, community colleges are important. Yes, they provide affordable education. But, where are we going to get the extra $43 million to cover this 15% increase in the budget? (HB 4360)

Has your income increased by 15% in the last year?

You can read this and all other budgets on www.michiganvotes.org

School Aid Fund Budget is Half-a-billion Dollars in the Red

Demonstrating the height of fiscal irresponsibility, the Democrat-led House of Representatives, today passed a School Aid Fund Budget (HB4359) for the new year that grows by over $300 million and spends $500 million more than anticipated revenues. Because the budget must, by constitutional mandate, be balanced by October 1st, we have just over one month to find that $500 million. We could take it out of the general fund, which means equal cuts in other programs, or we could raise taxes by $500 million.

The Democrats say we are doing the right thing; providing essential education services to our children. "Funding public education is providing a huge service to the children of our state", said the chair of Higher Ed. appropriations. "A vote against this bill is a vote against investing in our children", he continued.

I note that this new budget includes over $100 million in early childhood education. We are now providing full-time, all-day school for four-year old kids in this state. This is a direct affront to parents of this state. The Dems do not believe parents are qualified to teach our children. What a shame.

School Aid Fund Budget is Half-a-billion Dollars in the Red

Demonstrating the height of fiscal irresponsibility, the Democrat-led House of Representatives, today passed a School Aid Fund Budget (HB4359) for the new year that grows by over $300 million and spends $500 million more than anticipated revenues. Because the budget must, by constitutional mandate, be balanced by October 1st, we have just over one month to find that $500 million. We could take it out of the general fund, which means equal cuts in other programs, or we could raise taxes by $500 million.

The Democrats say we are doing the right thing; providing essential education services to our children. "Funding public education is providing a huge service to the children of our state", said the chair of Higher Ed. appropriations. "A vote against this bill is a vote against investing in our children", he continued.

I note that this new budget includes over $100 million in early childhood education. We are now providing full-time, all-day school for four-year old kids in this state. This is a direct affront to parents of this state. The Dems do not believe parents are qualified to teach our children. What a shame.

Blowing a HUGE hole in the budget

Don't you wish you could do this?

It looks like we will be spending about $2 billion more in general fund dollars than revenue forecasts. That represents about a 20% increase on general fund spending. Oh, and by the way, YOU can use your charge card if you want to spend like that, the state can't. We have to balance the budget by October 1st. That leaves us only one real option: raise your taxes. Stay tuned for details as they develop.

Blowing a HUGE hole in the budget

Don't you wish you could do this?

It looks like we will be spending about $2 billion more in general fund dollars than revenue forecasts. That represents about a 20% increase on general fund spending. Oh, and by the way, YOU can use your charge card if you want to spend like that, the state can't. We have to balance the budget by October 1st. That leaves us only one real option: raise your taxes. Stay tuned for details as they develop.

Dems find another pot of money...Racinos!

Michigan, which arguably has more gambling outlets than any other state besides Nevada, may see even more growth in gaming. Currently, this state has seven horse race tracks where bets may be placed. Discussions started yesterday about allowing slot machines, table games and other forms of gambling at the tracks. Is this being suggested because we need more gambling opportunities? Is it because it would produce thousands of new, high-paying jobs, or grow the state's economy? NO, the reason why "Racinos" are being proposed is because it would bring in $500 million or more in new tax revenue!

Match that number to the shortfall in school aid funding and you can easily connect the dots. The bottom line is, there is no discipline at all with most legislators to cut spending to match income. As long as they can find ways to separate you from your money, they will do it and just keep on spending until the well goes dry.

You can learn more about the Democrats plan by going to the web site of the House Regulatory Reform Committee Chair: http://www.house.michigan.gov/committeeinfo.asp?lstcommittees=Regulatory%20Reform

Dems find another pot of money...Racinos!

Michigan, which arguably has more gambling outlets than any other state besides Nevada, may see even more growth in gaming. Currently, this state has seven horse race tracks where bets may be placed. Discussions started yesterday about allowing slot machines, table games and other forms of gambling at the tracks. Is this being suggested because we need more gambling opportunities? Is it because it would produce thousands of new, high-paying jobs, or grow the state's economy? NO, the reason why "Racinos" are being proposed is because it would bring in $500 million or more in new tax revenue!

Match that number to the shortfall in school aid funding and you can easily connect the dots. The bottom line is, there is no discipline at all with most legislators to cut spending to match income. As long as they can find ways to separate you from your money, they will do it and just keep on spending until the well goes dry.

You can learn more about the Democrats plan by going to the web site of the House Regulatory Reform Committee Chair: http://www.house.michigan.gov/committeeinfo.asp?lstcommittees=Regulatory%20Reform

Big Spending...Watch this Space

The Appropriations Committee is churning out new spending bills at a painfully slow pace. It looks like spending will indeed be well above available revenue. The School Aid Fund ALONE is anticipated to be $500 million more than forecast income. Check back later for specific information...

Big Spending...Watch this Space

The Appropriations Committee is churning out new spending bills at a painfully slow pace. It looks like spending will indeed be well above available revenue. The School Aid Fund ALONE is anticipated to be $500 million more than forecast income. Check back later for specific information...

Be It Therefore Resolved,

Over the last month, we have not accomplished a great deal in the House, at least not in terms of meaningful legislation. But, at least we have the resolutions. Resolutions are non-binding statements asking Congress to do something or recognizing something or someone. Yesterday, we had no less than 8 resolutions to sign on to:
HR164 Recognize September 9 as "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day"
HR165 Ask Congress to pass HR 2927, which responsibly balances achievable fuel economy increases with important economic and social concerns, including consumer demand.
HR166 Ask the Feds to spend $1,000,000 on a rail transit route between Livingston and Washtenaw counties.
HR167 Declare September 2007 as College Savings Month.
HR168 Urge municipalities to participate in the Storm Ready Program.
HR169 Urge the MI State Police to determine the extent of dog fighting activity.
HR170 Commemorating the 40th anniversary of MSU's James Madison College.
HR171 Commemorate September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

Be It Therefore Resolved,

Over the last month, we have not accomplished a great deal in the House, at least not in terms of meaningful legislation. But, at least we have the resolutions. Resolutions are non-binding statements asking Congress to do something or recognizing something or someone. Yesterday, we had no less than 8 resolutions to sign on to:
HR164 Recognize September 9 as "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day"
HR165 Ask Congress to pass HR 2927, which responsibly balances achievable fuel economy increases with important economic and social concerns, including consumer demand.
HR166 Ask the Feds to spend $1,000,000 on a rail transit route between Livingston and Washtenaw counties.
HR167 Declare September 2007 as College Savings Month.
HR168 Urge municipalities to participate in the Storm Ready Program.
HR169 Urge the MI State Police to determine the extent of dog fighting activity.
HR170 Commemorating the 40th anniversary of MSU's James Madison College.
HR171 Commemorate September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

The Downside of Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs

Here is an excerpt from the July 2007 issue of "Environment News"

California Moves to Ban Incandescent Light Bulbs

Although environmentalists are advocating the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to replace incandescent ones, CFLs pose real environmental hazards, according to those same activists and public authorities.

As reported in an April 12 article in the Ellsworth (Maine) American, Brandy Bridges had the misfortune of breaking a CFL during installation in her daughter's bedroom. It dropped and shattered on the carpeted floor.

Aware that CFLs contain potentially hazardous substances, Bridges called her local Home Depot for advice. The store told her the CFL contained mercury and that she should call the Poison Control hotline, which in turn directed her to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The DEP sent a specialist to Bridges' house to test for mercury contamination. The specialist found mercury levels in the bedroom more than six times the state's "safe" level for mercury contamination, 300 billionths of a gram per cubic meter.

The DEP specialist recommended Bridges call an environmental cleanup firm, which reportedly gave her an estimate of $2,000 to clean the room. The room then was sealed off with plastic, and Bridges began gathering finances to pay for the cleaning. Reportedly, her insurance company wouldn't cover the costs because mercury is a pollutant.

Given that the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs in the average U.S. household is touted as saving as much as $180 annually in energy costs--and assuming Bridges doesn't break any more CFLs--it will take her more than 11 years to recoup the cleanup costs in the form of energy savings after dropping one light bulb on a carpeted floor.

You can read the rest of the story here: http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=21592

The Downside of Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs

Here is an excerpt from the July 2007 issue of "Environment News"

California Moves to Ban Incandescent Light Bulbs

Although environmentalists are advocating the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to replace incandescent ones, CFLs pose real environmental hazards, according to those same activists and public authorities.

As reported in an April 12 article in the Ellsworth (Maine) American, Brandy Bridges had the misfortune of breaking a CFL during installation in her daughter's bedroom. It dropped and shattered on the carpeted floor.

Aware that CFLs contain potentially hazardous substances, Bridges called her local Home Depot for advice. The store told her the CFL contained mercury and that she should call the Poison Control hotline, which in turn directed her to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The DEP sent a specialist to Bridges' house to test for mercury contamination. The specialist found mercury levels in the bedroom more than six times the state's "safe" level for mercury contamination, 300 billionths of a gram per cubic meter.

The DEP specialist recommended Bridges call an environmental cleanup firm, which reportedly gave her an estimate of $2,000 to clean the room. The room then was sealed off with plastic, and Bridges began gathering finances to pay for the cleaning. Reportedly, her insurance company wouldn't cover the costs because mercury is a pollutant.

Given that the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs in the average U.S. household is touted as saving as much as $180 annually in energy costs--and assuming Bridges doesn't break any more CFLs--it will take her more than 11 years to recoup the cleanup costs in the form of energy savings after dropping one light bulb on a carpeted floor.

You can read the rest of the story here: http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=21592

Ten Principles of Health Care Policy

The Heartland Institute has published an excellent booklet about health care policy called "Ten Principles of Health Care Policy". It is a must read for every legislator. You can obtain a copy by going to www.heartland.org or sending an email to think@heartland.org. Here are the ten principles:

1. Health Care is a service, not a right
2. Repeal existing regulations first
3. Reduce reliance on third-party payers
4. Help only those who need help
5. Single payer is not the answer
6. Encourage entrepreneurship
7. Expand Health Savings Accounts
8. Expand access to prescription drugs
9. Reduce malpractice litigation expenses
10. Encourage long-term care insurance

Ten Principles of Health Care Policy

The Heartland Institute has published an excellent booklet about health care policy called "Ten Principles of Health Care Policy". It is a must read for every legislator. You can obtain a copy by going to www.heartland.org or sending an email to think@heartland.org. Here are the ten principles:

1. Health Care is a service, not a right
2. Repeal existing regulations first
3. Reduce reliance on third-party payers
4. Help only those who need help
5. Single payer is not the answer
6. Encourage entrepreneurship
7. Expand Health Savings Accounts
8. Expand access to prescription drugs
9. Reduce malpractice litigation expenses
10. Encourage long-term care insurance

Those Poor Universities...They Might Have to Cut!

Chad Livengood of the Jackson Citizen Patriot writes,
"With tuition at record highs, university leaders in Michigan say the Legislature's continued cuts to higher education threaten the existence of public universities. Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, blames Senate Republicans for the recent rash of tuition increases -- ranging from 5.7 percent at Western Michigan University to 21.1 percent for incoming freshmen at Central Michigan University."
What is really laughable about Mr. Schauer's blaming the Republicans is that in the last two years, the Republicans approved funding at $110 million MORE than what the governor proposed.

But what frustrates taxpayers is that public universities are AUTONOMOUS. It says so, right in the constitution. In other words, they come begging for more money every year, but then remind us that the legislature can't tell them how to spend it. If they want to pay their university president $600,000 that is their prerogative. If they want to spend $6 million of taxpayer dollars to build a home for the president, that's just fine. If they want to provide foot baths for Muslim students, or offer a class on "How to be Gay", hey you taxpayers, just shut up and fork over the dough.

Well, maybe the universities had better figure out how to do with what most taxpayers have...LESS. It is possible, you know. Just look at what new President John Dunn at WMU has pulled off. He kept tuition increases to just 5.7%, well below what all the other publics are doing. Ratter than whine about how the state is shorting them, he and his board rolled up their sleeves and figured out how to make the best of a bad situation.

Those Poor Universities...They Might Have to Cut!

Chad Livengood of the Jackson Citizen Patriot writes,
"With tuition at record highs, university leaders in Michigan say the Legislature's continued cuts to higher education threaten the existence of public universities. Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, blames Senate Republicans for the recent rash of tuition increases -- ranging from 5.7 percent at Western Michigan University to 21.1 percent for incoming freshmen at Central Michigan University."
What is really laughable about Mr. Schauer's blaming the Republicans is that in the last two years, the Republicans approved funding at $110 million MORE than what the governor proposed.

But what frustrates taxpayers is that public universities are AUTONOMOUS. It says so, right in the constitution. In other words, they come begging for more money every year, but then remind us that the legislature can't tell them how to spend it. If they want to pay their university president $600,000 that is their prerogative. If they want to spend $6 million of taxpayer dollars to build a home for the president, that's just fine. If they want to provide foot baths for Muslim students, or offer a class on "How to be Gay", hey you taxpayers, just shut up and fork over the dough.

Well, maybe the universities had better figure out how to do with what most taxpayers have...LESS. It is possible, you know. Just look at what new President John Dunn at WMU has pulled off. He kept tuition increases to just 5.7%, well below what all the other publics are doing. Ratter than whine about how the state is shorting them, he and his board rolled up their sleeves and figured out how to make the best of a bad situation.

Picking Winners and Losers, as usual

From a story by By TIM MARTIN Associated Press Writer...
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- "Laid-off Michigan workers may be able to get up to two free years of community college or technical school tuition to learn a new trade under a program rolled out Wednesday. The program, called No Worker Left Behind, was detailed in Traverse City by Gov. Jennifer Granholm who said the project is a key part of the effort to turn around the state's struggling economy. Michigan had a 7.2 percent unemployment rate in June, highest in the nation primarily because of layoffs in the auto industry and other manufacturing fields. Participants must be unemployed or have received a layoff or termination notice from an employer. They should not currently be college students and should have graduated from high school at least two years ago."

Here is another example of Central Planning at its worst. Leave it to the state to decide who deserves a free college education and who doesn't.
Winner: Laid-off factory worker.
Loser: Struggling college student.

Here are a couple of hypotheticals...You work for General Motors for 20 years, make $65,000 per year, build a nice pension, buy a house, maybe a boat, a couple of snowmobiles; hey if you really saved, you might even have a cottage up north. And then you get laid off because the auto industry is in the tank. Lucky you, you just earned a free education.

Or maybe you live in a middle-class family that has worked hard for everything they have. Your folks, although working, just don't have the bucks to cover your tuition. You have always held a job and saved what you could, but you just graduated from high school, and you've never been laid off. Unlucky you, you'll have to take out a loan or use your own money to go to school.

Look. I appreciate the sentiments, but why do taxpayers have to feel obligated to help cover the tuition for someone who lost a good job? Bad things happen to people all the time, it is not up to government to fix them.

The real irony is, this governor wants to spend $10 billion of general fund money with only $8.5 coming in, which means higher taxes on us all including small businesses. If the governor really wanted to see people go back to work, she might cut government, reduce spending, lower the burden of onerous regulations and support a right to work law. Now that would pump up the economy!

Picking Winners and Losers, as usual

From a story by By TIM MARTIN Associated Press Writer...
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- "Laid-off Michigan workers may be able to get up to two free years of community college or technical school tuition to learn a new trade under a program rolled out Wednesday. The program, called No Worker Left Behind, was detailed in Traverse City by Gov. Jennifer Granholm who said the project is a key part of the effort to turn around the state's struggling economy. Michigan had a 7.2 percent unemployment rate in June, highest in the nation primarily because of layoffs in the auto industry and other manufacturing fields. Participants must be unemployed or have received a layoff or termination notice from an employer. They should not currently be college students and should have graduated from high school at least two years ago."

Here is another example of Central Planning at its worst. Leave it to the state to decide who deserves a free college education and who doesn't.
Winner: Laid-off factory worker.
Loser: Struggling college student.

Here are a couple of hypotheticals...You work for General Motors for 20 years, make $65,000 per year, build a nice pension, buy a house, maybe a boat, a couple of snowmobiles; hey if you really saved, you might even have a cottage up north. And then you get laid off because the auto industry is in the tank. Lucky you, you just earned a free education.

Or maybe you live in a middle-class family that has worked hard for everything they have. Your folks, although working, just don't have the bucks to cover your tuition. You have always held a job and saved what you could, but you just graduated from high school, and you've never been laid off. Unlucky you, you'll have to take out a loan or use your own money to go to school.

Look. I appreciate the sentiments, but why do taxpayers have to feel obligated to help cover the tuition for someone who lost a good job? Bad things happen to people all the time, it is not up to government to fix them.

The real irony is, this governor wants to spend $10 billion of general fund money with only $8.5 coming in, which means higher taxes on us all including small businesses. If the governor really wanted to see people go back to work, she might cut government, reduce spending, lower the burden of onerous regulations and support a right to work law. Now that would pump up the economy!

House GOP: Show Taxpayers the Money

PRESS RELEASE
 
House GOP: Show Taxpayers the Money
Lawmakers call for accountability in government spending

How much money does the state spend each year on road repair?  What about new computer software or cell phones? If taxpayers knew a state employee could approve an increase in a state contract in the last three weeks for over $10 million dollars, with no apparent oversight, would they be unhappy?  This is exactly the type of information House Republicans think taxpayers have a right to know.

The House GOP today announced the Michigan Government Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, or FAT Act, to create a public, searchable Web site that lists all spending by state government, including public schools, universities and community colleges.  The announcement comes amid the ongoing budget battle between Democrats who insist the state must raise taxes and Republicans who want to reform government and cut waste.

"Lansing needs to be more careful about how they spend taxpayer money," said Jack Hoogendyk, R-Texas Township. "Knowing that they would have to account for every expenditure will make government bureaucrats think twice before approving change orders to an existing contract that expands it from $5.5 million to $200 million with little or no accountability. In tight budgetary times, working families and small businesses know where every dollar is spent. They deserve to know where every one of their tax dollars are going as well,"      

"As we talk more and more about reforms and cost savings in government, it's becoming important that taxpayers know exactly how their hard-earned dollars are being spent," said Kim Meltzer, R-Clinton Township. "With full disclosure of budget expenses to the public, government and school districts will be more apt to be held accountable for spending - meaning more money for taxpayer priorities, not bureaucracy."

The FAT Act plan is modeled on bipartisan federal legislation passed by Congress and signed into law last year.

"By posting state-spending information, taxpayers will know whether their hard-earned dollars are used in a way that is responsible.  This will make government more efficient by exposing waste," said Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba. If signed into law, this legislation will provide another tool for citizens to hold government accountable for out-of-control spending.

In addition to the state government Web site, universities, community colleges and public school districts and academies will be required to post on their Web sites a report detailing budget expenses for the proceeding school year.

"A transparent government is compelled to be an honest one," said Fran Amos, R-Waterford. "The current budget crisis is a direct result of a serious government overspending problem, and the education of our young members of society should not be affected by politics. Your tax dollars should be going to your children's education, period.  And you deserve to know if that is, in fact, how your money is being spent."

The package also eliminates the loophole in the Intermediate School District reporting requirements that exempts them from reporting lobbying and other activities by ISD employees.

"The Democrats keep saying we need to raise taxes - but how is the average citizen supposed to know if that is true when they don't even have a way to see what the government is spending?" asked Dan Acciavatti, R-Chesterfield Township.  "With the FAT Act, taxpayers will be able to see precisely how our tax dollars are spent, and then decide for themselves if government is as lean as it can be or if there is room for improvement."

Amy Hagerstrom, of Americans for Prosperity, agreed. "Taxpayers don't have access to what their money is being spent on," Hagerstrom said. "But they deserve to know where the money is going. As technology improves daily, there is no good reason taxpayers shouldn't have this information at their fingertips."
 

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