State Rep. Ann Bollin, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement following the presentation of the governor’s executive budget recommendations:

“Michigan families are feeling the strain of rising costs, and they deserve a government that spends wisely and prioritizes their needs. Instead of continuing down the path of higher spending and added costs, we should focus on cutting waste and ensuring taxpayers get real value for their hard-earned money. Now more than ever, we need a responsible approach that eases the burden on our hardworking residents.

“Some of the governor’s recommendations fall right in line with the priorities Republicans in the House have been highlighting — making life more affordable, making sure our kids receive a quality education, and making our communities safer. I’m glad to see the governor is receptive to our plan for Michigan. But we can do this with existing funds – these changes shouldn’t have to come tied to new unsustainable spending and tax hikes.

“The governor’s education proposals borrow heavily from the plan Republicans introduced last year in the House. She now appears open to consolidating duplicative services so schools can put more money into classrooms instead of administration. And after years of ignoring Michigan’s literacy crisis, she’s finally listening to us and embracing the science of reading to help kids succeed. She’s taking steps in the right direction on this and other areas.

“Last week, the House adopted landmark changes to bring real transparency to earmarks in the state budget — something taxpayers have deserved for a long time. Now, the governor is proposing a similar plan. It’s a good sign that she’s listening to us and trying to do the right thing, but she’s got more work to do to ensure every dollar is spent wisely and with full accountability.

“The governor didn’t include her roads plan in her budget recommendation today, but she’s talked about it for months and hinted at the need to find new revenue for it. Michigan doesn’t have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. Raising taxes isn’t the answer. House Republicans have already put forward solutions to fund road repairs without reaching deeper into your wallet. We just need to prioritize smart, responsible spending.

“The governor’s team focused quite a bit on good government and fiscal responsibility, but we can’t forget about sustainability. The executive budget recommendations continue to grow government in a way that is simply not sustainable. That’s something we need to work together to fix, so we’re not setting Michigan up for fiscal disaster down the road.”

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