October 01, 2009
But Michigan's future demands more. Michigan's future demands a budget that helps us diversify our economy to create the jobs we need; that keeps police officers and fire fighters on the streets of our communities; a budget that helps our kids afford to go to college.
The budget the Legislature has passed fails to do all of these essential things. That's why I will continue to fight for the right budget for Michigan. In the days ahead, I will examine this budget in the same way you look at your family budget when times are tough.
I've cut more from the budget than any governor before me to make sure the state lives within its means.
And I will use my veto pen to shape this budget to protect the things that are most important to Michigan families. With Michigan's future on the line, we can't afford a budget that does less.
Let me be clear: The constitutional deadline has been met, but the work on this budget is far from over. This budget not only has the wrong priorities, it's a fiscal house of cards that relies on one-time federal revenues from President Obama that can't be sustained into the future.
In our system of government, only the Legislature can pass a budget, but my role is equally clear. I proposed a budget in February and put a revised proposal on the table in August to adjust to our decline in revenues. In between, I made $438 million in executive order cuts to bring spending in line with revenues.
And my budget director Bob Emerson and I worked closely with the legislative leadership all through the process. What we can't do is cast a vote for them.
So while I am disappointed with the budget that resulted from the Legislature's actions, I am determined to use my power in this process to give the people of Michigan a fiscally sound budget with the right priorities - diversifying our economy to create jobs, educating our citizens, and protecting those who are at risk during this crisis.
While I will not hesitate to act, the Legislature also needs to return to the unfinished business of this budget with the urgency and honesty it demands.
Early this morning, we averted a government shutdown - but we have not yet taken the critical steps needed to move our state forward in incredibly challenging times.
That is the real test of our leadership, and I believe it a test we can meet in the days and weeks ahead as we finish our work on this new budget.
