Gleason, Other Senate Dems Rip Misguided Budget Priorities

Senate Democrats sharply criticized the general omnibus budget passed by Republicans yesterday for continuing what they say are misplaced priorities that favor politics over progress for the people of Michigan.

State Senator John Gleason of Flushing said "working families, cities and schools are all struggling to get by right now. Instead of using this budget to invest in our best resource, the citizens of Michigan, we've continued last year's trend of making everyone but CEOs make sacrifices. The people we were elected to represent should be our top priority."

Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer added "I am aghast that Senate Republicans think higher of themselves than they do the people of Michigan, as they had the gall to give themselves a round of applause for completing yet another budget that drastically slashes education funding and crucial state services. This budget is just a futile attempt by the Senate Republicans to paper over all of the damage they have done to our kids' schools, seniors' pensions and crucial state services over the last two years, but I know, and the people know, where their loyalties really lie - with their rich corporate cronies and shady special interests."

Governor Rick Snyder had targeted today as a completion date for the 2012-13 Fiscal Year budget.