On Tuesday, I will give the State of the State address and present our budget message for the coming year. It will come as no surprise to you that our focus will be to continue and intensify efforts to diversify Michigan's economy, and again our severe budget shortfall will form an important part of the discussion of Michigan's future.

As you know, we continue to face declining revenues and greater demands for human need across the state. In the current and coming fiscal years, our budget is nearly $3 billion short of the revenue needed to cover basic services. This situation was not helped by the previous Legislature's decision to eliminate the Single Business Tax (SBT) without a replacement. I will speak to this in my messages, and I hope you will tune in as it will be important to you both as citizens and as state employees. But, I want to make two points to you as employees.

First, I want you to know that our commitment to integrity and excellence requires us to continuously seek efficiencies and savings. We are again going to have to make some tough budget cuts and continue to tighten our belts; and you may be weary of hearing this, but we will have to continue to "do more with less."

We will ask our businesses and our citizens to support the critical work we do - to keep them safe, educate kids, protect seniors, maintain our unparalleled natural resources, expand retraining efforts, and offer the best public colleges and universities in America - to name just a few of our essential functions. And as we ask them to sacrifice, we must be able to say with confidence that we are seeking every efficiency we can within state government. Are we spending every dollar as wisely as we can? Are there processes we could improve upon? Do you have a good idea for saving a few dollars within your work area? I hope you will share them with your director and with me.

And secondly, I pledge to you right now that no one will be a stronger advocate than I for public service and public servants. I have had to cut more out of state government than any other governor, and I am fully aware that with reduced resources and reduced staffing, you have been serving on the front lines under extremely challenging circumstances. I know it has not been easy.

And if that is not enough, our work in the public light has also attracted vocal detractors. State employees have been questioned and criticized for not doing enough to protect our children and natural resources., It is a bitter irony that many of the critics who say we aren't doing enough are the same ones to suggest we can continue to make cuts. They are wrong. If we are to maintain our standing as one of the best-run states in the nation, then a funded, effective, and committed team of public servants is absolutely essential.

We need to give each other and our citizens our very best work. We need to stand together, proud of our commitment that we are essential to helping Michigan revitalize itself. I deeply appreciate your continued service and commitment in the days ahead.

Sincerely,
Jennifer M. Granholm
Governor