Governor Granholm held a press conference at 3:00 PM EST on the passage of last night’s budget. Granholm stressed the fact that the Michigan legislature did the bare minimum by meeting constitutional requirements that require a balanced budget:
But Michigan’s future demands more. Michigan’s future demands a budget that helps us diversify our economy to create the jobs we need; that keeps police officers and fire fighters on the streets of our communities; a budget that helps our kids afford to go to college.
She went on to add, “[the] budget that the legislature passed fails to do all of these things.”
This is the understatement of the century, what the “leadership” (and I use that word in the loosest way possible) in the legislature did was fail the citizens of Michigan, AGAIN. It is more important than ever to ensure that police, firefighters, and yes college and k-12 students are fully funded.
Granholm was asked if she would give House Speaker Dillon and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop “good marks,” she replied flatly, “they passed a budget.” Which is akin to being congratulated for spelling your name correctly on a college exam.
When asked if she would veto a budget that doesn’t include funding for the Michigan Promise Scholarship, higher education, and doesn’t have as a priority diversifying Michigan’s economy she said she would use all of the tools at her disposal, and that the “veto pen” is always an option.
Thank god. When things have devolved to the point where the majority acquiesces to the minority party’s will it’s good to find one politician standing up for the citizens of Michigan.