FIXING A HOLE

Here in Michigan, we are in the middle of a financial crisis. At last count, the State is 800 million dollars in the red and growing. It seem our beloved Governor, Jennifer Granholm, can not for the life of her, figure out a way to balance the budget. It is now the fifth budget in a row that Buffy The Job Killer has turned in that is in the red. To be sure, there are a lot of problems here in Michigan that are contributing to our crisis; manufacturing has been running out the door, high gas prices are keeping our tourism down, and we have to deal with the reality that we are viewed on the world stage as a pro-union high wage state. Still, other Governors in other Rust Belt states have found a way and their states are rebounding rather nicely. Since our Governor can't seem to see an answer outside of cutting schools and vital services, I've decided to help her out by pointing to something that could save our budget.


Since Jennifer became our Governor, she has been embracing a Socialistic idea as a way of fixing our economy. She has been dumping billions into "Work Projects" ala Hoover and Roosevelt after The Great Depression. Jennifer's idea is that if you create jobs though the government, those jobs will lift the economy. This is, in my eyes, such an outdated idea that it's really not even worth debating anymore. If you want to see how badly it works, come to Michigan. Ms. Granholm has spent ten years worth of Federal money on highway projects in just three years. (I wonder how she would have felt if Engler had done that to her?) On top of that, she announced last year an additional $618 million dollars of state money for even more highway projects and increased transportation's general budget by 100 million. The end result? Unemployment that is the highest in the United States.


So where do I suggest we find the money to balance our budget? Let me ask all of you a quick question; have you ever seen so many highway projects at the same time in Michigan as you have under Governor Granholm? If you think that orange barrels have been springing up like dandelions every spring in unprecedented numbers, you'd be right. Governor Granholm has increased her spending on transportation every year she's been in office even as our debt continues to grow. It's now at a record $2.3 billion dollars. She then has the audacity to call herself a Fiscal Conservative! Did they change the definition since I looked last? I thought the idea behind being a Fiscal Conservative was not spending money you don't have! I'm going to come right out and say it, "Our debt has been created directly by increased spending on highway projects with most of that money going to private contractors." Just look at her budget where, on page 10, it demonstrates how the condition of our roads has increased from 75% rated good to 92%, we no longer need to continue this handout to contractors!. Granholm's plan was to increase our spending on roads to attract businesses, but so far all I see is businesses using those roads to leave.


When John Engler took office in 1991, he inherited a 1.5 billion dollar debt and promptly halted all contracted highway spending to help balance the budget. It's time the Senate and House here in Michigan do the same. For us to increase spending when we're in such a fiscal bind even while our highways are in the best condition they have been in for 20 years is ridiculous! Governor Granholm; stop rewarding your contractor buddies and give us a summer without traffic backups. Upper Michigan needs the tourism, we all need to save the gas, and you need to finally admit your plans are a failure and balance the first budget since you've been in office.


On a side note; After repeatedly researching the Governor's office I was amazed at the lack of openness about the State of Michigan's highway contracts and how many of those companies gave to Granholm's campaign. Rest assured, I will be searching for any ties I can find and will be writing about them as soon as I find them. H.C.