Since last February, the senate GOP leader has steadfastly
insisted that the only way to eradicate a $2 billion dollar hole in the
state budget was to cut state services. And so isn't it interesting
that when the governor did just that this week on a portion of the
school aid bill, Sen. Mike Bishop went bonkers.
The Oakland County budget-cutter accused the governor of
political "extortion" when she vetoed $52 million earmarked for more
well-to-do school districts including a ton of those in Bishop's own
backyard.
Not only did he use the extortion charge, he tacked this on for
good measure: "She has breach her fiduciary responsibility as CEO of
this state" by taking a "divet" out of the school budget.
What's the saying about having it both ways?
Gov. Jennifer Granholm didn't want to make the cut but she claims
she had no choice because Bishop and his GOP cronies sent her a K-12
bill that was under funded.
Granholm's budget guy, Bob Emerson, asserts that if anybody is
guilty of neglecting his or her "fiduciary responsibility" it was
Bishop.
The senator is spot on right when he says the governor is using
the veto to force the GOP senators to raise revenue to restore the $52
million cut which could catapult some schools into insolvency.
The governor confirms that when she asks Bishop to stop being
"rigid" about finding new money. And a democratic source who has
talked with Bishop about new revenue, that would not be a tax increase,
reveals that Bishop is willing to discuss shaving off some money from
current business tax credits that may not be working.
Could they find enough money to restore the school cuts?
You bet.
Will they?
With these guys, who the heck knows.