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 Fixing the Budget with Reforms

This blog is about the numbers.  Numbers can be dry, but these are important. 

 $1.7 billion

As the legislature begins work on our state's 2011 budget, we have to solve another budget deficit of approximately $1.7 billion. 

 $400 million

Of the $1.7 billion deficit, $400 million is in funding to education. 

 $1 billion

The 2010 budget, completed in October, included more than $1 billion in cuts.  Many of these cuts were reductions to programs most of us consider critical, such as funding to schools, municipalities, corrections, and social welfare programs. 

 Maybe this blog isn't about the numbers.  Maybe it is just about common sense.

In my house, we balance our budget.  Across the state of Michigan, families balance their budgets.  If there is a gap between revenue and spending, we find a way to reduce spending or change how we spend.  We need to do this in the legislature as well - we need to work together toward a budget filled with reforms and cost savings.  We must find new and innovative ways to close the gap between revenue and spending.  The Governor's recent budget proposal includes things like changes to public employee healthcare, additional state employee concessions, and consolidation of state departments.  Other groups have called for other budget reforms.  In any case, we must work together, ditch political posturing and compromise. 

Quite frankly, I don't care who gets the credit for a great idea.  If someone comes up with a budget solution that saves our state money, I will work with my House and Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make feasible ideas a budgetary reality. 

 As Chair of the House Education Committee, I will particularly focus on realizing savings in our public schools.  I have asked all interested individuals and groups to come to the table with ideas for fixing the deficit in education funding.  No whining, just fixing.  We will begin to take testimony on school finance reform ideas this week.

As parents and taxpayers, you might have great ideas that help us solve school funding issues.  Please share your thoughts with me - maybe you have the fix we need.  We have a school funding suggestion box on my website: http://029.housedems.com/reform-school-funding/.  (As always, you can call or email my office as well.)  Your participation is valued and appreciated.    

Budget savings are really another way of saying "budget cuts."  Cuts are never popular, and we will likely make some interest groups mad.  No one gets everything they want in a cuts based budget. 

My folks raised me to take on tough challenges and not shy away.  Michigan's budget is a tremendous challenge.  You deserve my best effort, and you already know I'm not shy.

 Thanks for reading.