September 21, 2007
September 21, 2007
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today urged legislators to find a comprehensive solution to the state's budget crisis that protects public safety, health care and education from massive cuts. After meeting throughout the week with interested citizens, Granholm asked the people of Michigan to contact their state senators and representatives to voice support for a sensible budget that combines cuts, reforms and new revenues.
"For months, as I've been working on getting a solution in place, I've been joined by Michigan citizens who have first hand experience with how important this budget is for all of us," Granholm said. "I will not accept half measures that further delay tough decisions."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available on the governor's Web site (www.michigan.gov/gov) for download, as is a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follows.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
September 21, 2007
Full Radio Address Audio (3:00): http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov111_Full_209430_7.mp3
Edited Radio Address (1:30): http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov111_Edit_209432_7.mp3
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
As you may know, we have just days left to solve Michigan's budget crisis. This crisis is hurting our ability to move forward with our plan to diversify Michigan's economy. We need a comprehensive solution by October 1 when the new fiscal year begins.
Way back in February - after we'd already resolved $4 billion in budget deficits over the past four years - I proposed a comprehensive solution that would allow us to make critical investments in our state's future. That solution combines sensible cuts, significant government reforms and some new revenues. This comprehensive approach is the only way that we can protect health care, education and public safety from devastating cuts.
Still, there are some in Lansing that say they can solve this budget crisis with a "cuts only" solution. But frankly they've been unable to muster enough votes for their cuts … and with good reason: The truth is, cutting almost $1.8 billion from our state budget will hurt Michigan citizens. It would put education, health care and public safety in jeopardy. And those who have supported devastating cuts have refused to vote as well for a comprehensive and permanent solution to this budget crisis.
For months, as I've been working on getting a solution in place, I've been joined by Michigan citizens who have first hand experience with how important this budget is for all of us. Firefighters came to the Capitol to stand with me against proposed cuts to fire protection - these cuts could close firehouses and put people at risk.
Nurses from around the state came to talk about how critical Medicaid and health care services are for every Michigan citizen. If health care to children and pregnant women and people with disabilities and senior citizens is slashed - as some Legislators have proposed - many citizens will lose access to care, and our emergency rooms will be overcrowded which means lower quality care for everyone, and higher insurance rates for those who have insurance.
Michigan educators also came to make their case. When state education funding is slashed - especially when those cuts happen in the middle of the school year - our kids suffer with fewer teachers, larger class sizes and fewer school bus routes.
The bottom line is that Michigan needs to combine cuts, reforms and new revenues. I hope that every Michigan citizen will pick up the phone and call their state senator and representative… If your voices are heard, I'm hopeful that we can reach a bipartisan agreement on a comprehensive solution. Everyone has to give - every political party has to compromise, to come to the center, in order for us to solve this problem.
I will not accept half measures that further delay tough decisions… we need an agreement, and we need it by October 1. There's barely still time. Thank you for listening, and thank you for getting involved.
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