Someone please, send in the negotiators.
In a move viewed as unprecedented, the state Senate is holding six final budget bills hostage in the chamber, refusing to send them to Gov. Jennifer Granholm for approval until she tells Senate leaders whether she’ll veto or adopt the measures.
It’s only the latest chapter in a budget drama that resulted in a missed deadline Sept. 30, a two-hour government shutdown and a temporary 30-day budget that has resulted in deep cuts in funding for agencies.
“If we don’t act carefully, in how we solve this year’s crisis, we’ll make next year’s crisis that much worse,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, who has sent unofficial copies of the six bills to Granholm so that she can review them.
Meanwhile, Granholm has refused to say how she’ll proceed, but has stated repeatedly that she is not happy about deep cuts in social spending and other programs. Senate Republicans are concerned that she will proceed with proposals to raise revenues to fund those programs.
In short, it appears to be an ole’ fashioned Hollywood-style standoff, with Senate Republicans apparently trying to run down the clock until the next budget deadline at the end of the month.
Some are hoping the conflict ends early, the credits roll and the drama fades to black.
