Senate Democrats Rip Misguided Budget Priorities

Lansing – Senate Democrats sharply criticized the general omnibus budget passed by Republicans today for continuing their misplaced priorities that favor politics over progress for the people of Michigan. Their responses were as follows:

Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer: “I am aghast that Senate Republicans think higher of themselves than they do of the people of Michigan, as they had the gall to give themselves a round of applause today for completing yet another budget that drastically slashes education funding and crucial state services. This budget is a just a futile attempt by the Senate Republicans to paper over all of the damage they have done to our kids' schools, seniors' pensions and crucial state services over the last two years, but I know, and the people know, where their loyalties really lie”with their rich corporate cronies and shady special interests.”

Senator Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor): “It's plain to see that this is the second half of the worst two year budget cycle our schools have seen in Michigan's history. Despite continued outcry from the public, Republicans continue to fail to consider investing in the things that are important to our constituents.”

Senator Rebekah Warren (D – Ann Arbor): “These short-sighted attempts to balance the budget on the backs of Michigan's educators and most vulnerable populations with continued disinvestment in education and health care services, will do nothing to stimulate Michigan's economy or position Michigan as a leader in job creation and economic vitality.”

Senator Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit), Senate Democratic Floor Leader: “Senate Republicans continue to give tax breaks to wealthy corporations at the expense of our kids, our working families, our seniors and our veterans. The painful cuts in this year's budget are still being made to pay for their ill-advised $1.8 billion tax giveaway last year that has yet to create any tangible jobs. These deep cuts to our schools and essential public services perpetuate the Senate Majority's misguided priorities of putting profits before people.”

Senator Vincent Gregory (D-Southfield): “As both a veteran and a former police officer, I have been particularly disappointed in what the Senate Majority's budget means for our veterans and our public safety officers. This budget cuts funding for and pushes to privatize our local police and fire services and the care of our veterans, putting the interests of questionable for-profit corporations ahead of those who put their life on the line to defend our freedom and protect our families.”

Senator Glenn S. Anderson (D-Westland), Minority Vice Chair on the Senate Appropriations Committee: “Sadly, just like last year, this budget caters to wealthy corporations and unproven private companies instead of supporting our vital state programs and the Michigan families that depend on them. I opposed the move to convert the Ryan Correctional Facility in Detroit that will cost corrections workers their jobs and hurt the local economy. Instead I fought to keep Ryan open and repurpose the closed Mound Correctional Facility for probation violators. I opposed the relentless push to privatize our public services and blindly trust for-profit corporations with the care of our kids and our seniors. I opposed the continued raiding of the School Aid Fund and the lowly funding of our K-12 schools after cutting them almost $500 per pupil last year. And I opposed this budget, both for what it fails to do for the people of Michigan and what it says about the Senate's values.”

Senator Virgil Smith (D-Detroit): “What I hear from my constituents is that they want safe streets and good schools, and this budget doesn't provide either of those things. I don't know how we plan to attract any jobs if we can't build communities that people want to live in.”

Senator John Gleason (D- Flushing): “Working families, cities and schools are all struggling to get by right now. Instead of using this budget to invest in our best resource, the citizens of Michigan, we've continued last year's trend of making everyone but CEOs make sacrifices. The people we were elected to represent should be our top priority.”

Senator Bert Johnson (D- Detroit): “This budget unfortunately reflects more of the flawed policies that were passed in last year's budget. The Republicans have neglected the needs of our cities and schools and leaves them to fall even further behind. This budget has the wrong priorities and fails to put citizens first.”

Senator Steve Bieda (D-Warren): “I'm very disappointed with the way this budget turned out. After deep cuts made last year in the name of ˜shared sacrifice' I was hoping we would be able to restore some funding to vital police and fire protection services as well as education. Michigan needs prosperous communities for economic growth; sadly this budget doesn't account for that.”

Senator Coleman A. Young II (D- Detroit): “I think this whole budget process is economic waterboarding. I think we are clearly out of touch. These budgets show no compassion or consideration for the people we serve. The most deplorable state that a public servant can be in is when his voice and deeds are not in lockstep with the people.”