LANSING – State Representative Jim Slezak (D-Davison) said today that although the Governor has signed the final state budgets to avoid a government shutdown, the overall budget takes Michigan in the wrong direction and is the result of the Senate's refusal to fund priorities such as education that will turn our state around.
"Balancing the state budget is a lot like balancing a household budget – it's all about priorities and choices," Slezak said. "You have to make tough decisions, but you can't gut the necessities. Slashing funding from our kids' schools and forcing layoffs of police and firefighters isn't going to move our state forward or help create jobs for our workers. While a budget is in place, our residents are hurting now more than ever and our work is far from over."
House Democrats have more than met the Senate halfway in working to resolve the state's budget crisis. House Dems have reduced state spending by more than $2 billion and agreed to use the Senate plan as a starting point for negotiations. The Senate, however, turned their backs on compromise, failing to show the effort that Michigan residents expect from their leaders.