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State budget cuts floated by GOP would slash $5 billion
A deadline of October 1st and a Democrat-controlled State Senate stands in the way of what some are calling waste, fraud and abuse.
LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - When you heard the word 'cut' under the State Capital dome this week, it was not some Hollywood director ending a movie scene.
The backstory:
It was the House GOP Speaker Matt Hall calling for $5 billion in cuts to the state budget which drew immediate criticism from every group that the GOP targeted.
There is a proposed 47% slice out of the state Labor Department, a 53% cut to the state Civil Rights Department.
Michigan hospitals were targeted for a 13% reduction which the head of the hospital association labeled, "disastrous."
And local governments, counties, cities and townships' revenue sharing would be cut by 12%.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer wanted to begin the conversion of the state fleet of cars to electric vehicles and House Republicans eliminated that.
The Michigan State Police would see a 7% reduction but there would be no trooper layoffs.
One key Republican confessed the cut was in part due to the alleged "serious leadership failures" of MSP Director Col. James Grady II.
Oakland County State Rep. Matt Maddock orchestrated the WFA slicing and dicing, calling it alleged waste fraud and abuse.
"Everyone said there is absolutely no waste in this budget," he said. "The actual fraud, waste and abuse is rampant in state government. Everyone knows it, and I am ecstatic to say that we've come to you, the taxpayers and workers, and are cutting over $5 billion in waste, fraud and abuse in our government."
The Senate Democratic Leader Winnie Brinks expressed hope that some budget give and take would happen in earnest but "the games and distractions need to end."
"I'm voting no on it," said Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Township). "But at least we can begin the actual negotiation process where we set up a conference committee and the House and Senate work together to come up with a budget for the state of Michigan."
All of this with a deadline of Oct. 1st to get the budget done. The question is, can they do it?
The Source: This report was sourced by FOX 2 Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick.