The governor’s budget proposal is only the first salvo in several months of hearings and many, many bargaining sessions to come. Given the grim economy, frayed interest groups on all sides, and big deficit, this years budget debate could be a worse version of the near government shutdown of two years ago, Phil Power writes this week.
“Don’t start by haggling over the details of budget cuts and tax changes without spending time on developing a shared vision of where the state needs to go,” Phil counsels in this week’s column.
One answer is for much closer discussion this year between the state’s top three elected leaders: the governor, House Speaker Andy Dillon, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, political commentator and Center for Michigan steering committee member Jack Lessenberry argued in one of his broadcasts this week.
The budget fiasco of 2007 was characterized by a breakdown of communication between those three leaders.
“But if we can all sign on to a shared vision, we may be able to avoid another train wreck,” Lessenberry said. “And we are running out of chances to embarrass ourselves. The Michigan-based auto industry appears to be dying. We have the nation’s highest unemployment rate, and it is still rising. If we are going to get out of this, we need to work together.”
The meltdown this month in California offers plenty of motivation.
We’re happy to conclude this newsletter with a very positive sign.
The legislature’s new “Bipartisan Caucus” will hold its first meeting next Tuesday.
“With the tone of cooperation brewing between the offices of leadership, I know the 95th Legislature will be remembered for its ability to steer Michigan away from economic calamity and unnecessary bickering,” caucus co-chair Bill Rogers, a Livingston County Republican, announced this week. The caucus is “an opportunity to bring the 46 freshman together in a social setting to start off the largest class of newbies on the right foot. We simply want to ensure that through the process of resolving the problems of Michigan, we know each other on a level that presents civility and camaraderie even when we disagree passionately on policy issues.”
Amen.
2 Comments
I could not agree more that we need both parties to communicate and learn to listen to each other. That is the only way we will ever have good government in Michigan. I am so sick of having an idea put forth and then the “other side” tearing it apart with no real thought given to parts they might agree with. I hope that at least some of our legislators are tuning in to the Center for Michigan and comments.
It’s past time that our elected representatives left their party credentials at the door to the state house.