FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
May 20, 2015
Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@
Hypocrisy Alert: Representative Graves Praised ‘Local Control’ in Past; Tramples on it Tuesday
Will Rep. Graves stand up for his values or his donors?
LANSING — Today, Progress Michigan is pointing out the hypocrisy of Representative Joe Graves on local control. Yesterday, Rep. Graves chaired a committee hearing that reported House Bill 4052, known as the Death Star bill, favorably. The bill is a far-reaching attempt to strip local communities of the ability to manage their own affairs by enacting local minimum wage laws, community benefits ordinances and paid sick leave laws. Representative Graves voted yes on the bill.
However, in 2013, Rep. Graves had a completely opposite opinion on local control. Graves sponsored House Bill 4147, a bill that would give local units of government more control of taxation issues. The bill was passed by the House but later died in the State Senate. Upon passage by the House, Rep. Graves was quoted praising the idea of local control.
“This is the height of hypocrisy. It seems that Rep. Graves believes in local control only when it’s cool with the business lobbyists who swirl around his office,” said Hugh Madden, communications director at Progress Michigan. “Today, Rep. Graves has a choice to make: will he vote no on the Death Star bill and stand with the people of Michigan and local governments as he has in the past or will he stand arm in arm with the lobbyists who fund his campaign coffers?”
Rep. Graves’ quote on passage of HB 4147 is below:
“No township is exactly the same as another, so providing them more control with their operations is common sense. State government doesn’t need to determine how each community pays for their police and fire services and that is why my legislation puts the decision back in the township’s hands for their residents.”
###