Fiscal crisis over... sortof

A press release from Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop's office yesterday afternoon confirmed that he, Gov. Jennifer Granholm and House Speaker Andy Dillon had reached a compromise on this year's budget.

Crisis over, right? Not so fast my friend.

Dillon and Granholm issued a separate release just hours later saying Bishop spoke too soon - that they were close but not quite there.

Additionally, it's worth noting that the May Revenue Estimating Conference, Friday, is likely to lower the state's revenue forecast, meaning any deal now is just part-way to a solution.

Sources from both the House and Senate suggested, however, that a true resolution was likely to come next week.

Comments

[Lost in Lansing]

One of the things I love about politicians is that they want praise for doing their job. Some one should inform them that they are paid $80,000 plus a year to balance the state budget and assure that the state does not decline economically or financially. Bang up job guys, hey you’re almost as good as the clowns who run the Big Three. Here is an idea, do your job and quit this he said she said crap and fix the problem.

[amac]

For political posturing and finger pointing, our politicians in the Capitol earn an A+. For statesmanship and forthrightness in handling Michigan's budget crisis, they earn an F-. No need to send in the clowns... they're already here.

[republicanman]

Bishop is wet behind the ears and trying to make a name for himself at the citizens expense.

[rukidding]

I agree with all three previous comments. I did not realize the cable company had replaced Comedy Central with MGTV.

[LosingFaith]

There is such a leadership deficit in Lansing right now its just sad. This is now the true impact of term limits because these folks just don't know how to get along and work together. Put aside the partisan rhetoric and get the job done so we don't have to outsource our educational system to China along with our jobs.

[tootsie2]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070515/UPDATE/705150469

Not so fast people.

[tootsie2]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070515/UPDATE/705150469

Not so fast people.

[tootsie2]

Sorry, the dagnabbed machine posted my comment twice.

[Rance]

How about outsourcing our politicians to China

[Rance]

Are people aware that Granholms hubby has 3 paid personal assistants...he's not even a state employee!!! It really is our own fault for being so indifferent and refusing to have these buffoons recalled and removed from office. I would gladly do so but I'm too busy working to try and pay the ridiculous taxes this state levies on its citizens. Why is it that other midwest states have property taxes less than half of Michigans??? Where is all this money going? Any tax increase is unacceptable...they should be raking in huge cash from the blaoted taxes they have on the $3.50 a gallon gas right now...I can't wait to see Granholm grandstanding and saying she's taking on the oil industry and price gouging, how about her tax gouging??? Effective immediately, all democrats and republicans should step down immediately and we should start things from scratch, I'll personally buy each of them an IPOD to do so!

[Vin]

I hear this line all the time about how overtaxed we are in Michigan and how we can't possibly afford more taxes. What I never see from those espousing such a belief though is any empirical data. "Rance" claims that we pay much higher taxes than residents of other nearby states. Where is the data to support this. According to data from The Tax Foundation residents of Michigan pay less taxes than those in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Ohio (see: http://www.taxfoundation.org). Of course, two of those states actually have a progressive income tax. The question is do we want to be a low tax state like Mississippi or Indiana or one that actually taxes business and residents and provides a decent quality of life and a setting where people from other areas of the country might actually not mind living? Ten years of cutting taxes has seemingly done little except make the state worse off in many ways and our "leaders" in the state senate want to continue that strategy?

[Lost in Lansing]

How bout just fixing the problem. You know this state is the laughingstock of the entire country.
It is like a bad farce, you see it in teh comments "Are people aware that Granholms hubby has 3 paid personal assistants...he's not even a state employee!!!" Yep and now it is time to accuse a republican for doing something wrong. Just fix the problem. Our roads are falling apart, schools are failing, just fix the problem.