Americans for Prosperity-Michigan

AFP-MI BLOG: Granholm is right on this one

Scott Hagerstrom, AFP-MI State Director

Republican Michelle McManus, Senate Capital Outlay Chair, and Democrats in the state legislature want to see a Capital Outlay budget passed this year. This is an effort to create jobs by increasing state government debt.

This quote could have come from any D.C. Democrat promoting last year’s $787 billion stimulus: “I would say it’s unfortunate that the Governor isn’t interested in putting people back to work,” said Michelle McManus. “Maybe she’ll want to join the process later in the game. I will just continue to work with Mike Lahti, who I have a great relationship with. Maybe we can figure out how to put people back to work.”
Despite the political shot heard around the world in Massachusetts last week, some Republican elected officials are deaf to the sounds of disdain over government overreach. I expect no less from big government liberal Democrats.

Time and time again we learn that increased government spending does not create jobs. Even worse, the government is spending money it doesn’t have. Borrowing from the future is not the path to prosperity.

I thought we all learned that borrowing money to pay for projects today was not the way to put people back to work. It is unfortunate that Senator Michelle McManus believes that further indebting Michigan residents is the path to prosperity.

For once, Governor Granholm is on the right side of an issue. Granholm spokesperson Liz Boyd stated the following in response to the reckless behavior of the legislature: “Sen. McManus implies in her remarks that the Governor isn’t interested in creating jobs. That’s an outrageous comment when the Governor’s top priority is just that – growing our economy and creating jobs,” Boyd said. “This has nothing to do with the Governor’s intention in putting people back to work, which is her top priority that she’s working on every day. But the fact is that Capital Outlay doesn’t come for free.”

It’s time for Michigan government to get back to basics by paying down debt, reducing spending and living within its means. This year, the state will collect $1.7 billion less revenue than last year, but somehow we can afford higher debt payments?

As reported by MIRS, the following is a list of possible projects:
State Universities
- Central Michigan Univ., Bio-Technology Building, $75 million
- Eastern Michigan Univ., Strong Hall renovation, $38 million
- Ferris State Univ., College of Education and Human Services Facility, $40 million
- Grand Valley State Univ., Learning & Technology Center and remodeling, $70 million
- Lake Superior State Univ., School of Business, Entrepreneurial & Legal Studies Building, $20 million
- Michigan Technolgical Univ., Science Technology Engineering Math Learning Facilities, $50 million
- Northern Michigan Univ., Biomass fueled combined heat and power cogeneration, $65 million
- Oakland Univ., Engineering Center, $71.7 million
- Saginaw Valley State Univ., Wikes Hall renovations, $12 million
- Univ. of Michigan — Ann Arbor, G.G. Brown Laboratory renovation and addition, $110 million
- Univ. of Michigan — Dearborn, Science and Computer Information Science building renovations, $41 million
- Wayne State Univ., Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research Building, $180 million
- Western Michigan Univ., Sangren Hall renovation, phase II, $40.4 million

Community Colleges
- Alpena, Electrical Power Technology Education & Training Center, $6.8 million
- Bay de Noc, Nursing Lab/Lecture Hall remodeling, $1.2 million
- Delta College, Health and Wellness Program — F wing renovation, $13.5 million
- Glen Oaks, classroom renovations and technology upgrades, $6 million
- Grand Rapids, Cook Academic Hall renovation, $10 million
- Jackson, Walker Hall renovation, $7.9 million
- Kellogg, C Classroom Building renovation, $5.5 million
- Lake Michigan College, Emerging Technologies & Community-Based Job Training Initiative, $26.9 million
- Lansing, Science classroom and lab expansion, $49.7 million
- Macomb, Health Science and Technology Building, phase II, $14.5 million
- Mid-Michigan, Mt. Pleasant campus consolidation, $24.8 million
- Monroe, East & West Technology Building renovations, $12 million
- Mott, Southern Lakes Branch Center rehabilitation, $5.9 million
- Muskegon, Art Education Center, $3.5 million
- North Central Michigan College, Health Education and Science Center project, $10.4 million
- Northwestern Michigan College, Student Learning Center, $14 million
- Oakland, Building A interior renovations and addition, Auburn Hills campus, $32.1 million
- St. Clair County, Center for Health & Human Services, $7 million
- Schoolcraft College, Public Safety/Homeland Security classroom building, $20 million
- Southwestern Michigan College, campus renovation, $12 million
- Wayne County, Eastern Campus Facility upgrade and site redevelopment, $18.1 million