Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on March 18, 2003, to provide a “template” or “place holder” for a Fiscal Year (FY) 2003-2004 multidepartmental supplemental budget. This budget contains no appropriations, but these may be added later to make cuts or changes to current or future appropriations

The vote was 89 in favor, 7 opposed and 14 not voting

(House Roll Call 680 at House Journal 89)

Click here to view bill details.

Rep. Brown, having reserved the right to explain his nay vote, made the following statement:

"Mr. Speaker and members of the House:

I voted no on House Bill 4367(H-1) because the House Substitute is flawed and unacceptable in the following ways:

$35 million in additional administrative cuts - The bulk of these cuts will affect Michigan's most vulnerable populations and could endanger public safety. These cuts primarily hit FIA, Public Health, and Corrections.

* Public Health Cuts could negatively affect populations with diabetes, Alzheimers, pediatric arthritis, and other health problems as well as jeopardize further funds for home health care to those that need it most.

* Children's services may be cut further.

* Dollars supporting veterans' services are cut further.

* Indigent Burial Services may be cut.

* Homeless shelters may wind up cut or closed at the coldest time of the year.

* Cuts to DOC could jeopardize prison guard safety or may necessitate early release of prisoners, placing public safety in the balance.

We've been fiscally responsible. Now we need to stand up for seniors, children, and veterans. The cuts in this substitute are irresponsible when a well thought-out plan was negotiated by the Senate and Governor and delivered to the House containing a balance of cuts and other solutions to balance the budget.

Further, at a time when all other state departments are barely able to function on the dollars they have to work with, House Republicans soften the blow that the Attorney General took in the Executive order by GIVING HIM AN ADDITIONAL $600,000 in General Funds to investigate and prosecute ISD's. No additional revenue to the State will be realized by this new expenditure of General Funds.

Finally, with the General Fund cuts in this bill, the administration will have no way to avoid laying off state employees, nullifying the agreements negotiated to fill a $140 million hole in the General Fund through worker concessions. With the terms of that agreement broken, we will be opening up a new GF shortfall of over $140 million, and we go back to the drawing board."

It is nice to see the house actually doing what the people want. DO NOT RAISE MY TAXES, on anything, no matter what, no matter when, not matter what the "really important" thing.

Senators,
Read my lips, DO NOT RAISE MY TAXES!! No matter what, do not raise my taxes. I am suprised that the republicans tried to do the raising rather than the democrats. Althou the democrats did not vote for this because they wanted lower taxes, they did in fact vote no, which is commendable.

Sold out again. It's very easy to spend other people's money.

I am ashamed of everyone of you who took the coward's way out and voted for a tax increase instead of the reductions proposed by the house.

You could have followed the proposals of the Mackinac Center, which would have easily balanced the budget, provided you had the courage to do the right thing.

I want to thank Bradstreet (R), Drolet (R), Garfield (R), and Tabor (R) for your courage. I hope that in next year's elections we can send you more friends. Maybe some year we won't be sold out again.

...or is this "budget" missing something?

Like maybe some programs being cut!