A major pillar of Tudor Dixon and Kevin Rinke’s wrong-for-Michigan agendas is their crusade to force billions in cuts to budgets impacting the critical services that keep our streets safe.
Dixon and Rinke proposed a “piss-poor public policy proposal” that “those who watch the state’s budget closely said would be catastrophic for funding.” It is estimated to eliminate nearly $12 billion from the budget and $8 billion from the general fund, threatening the “primary funding source” providing over 60% of Michigan State Police budget and threatening thousands of law enforcement jobs.
The Michigan Association of Police Organizations warned in 2017 that plans like these “would have a devastating impact on police budgets at the state and local levels” and leave law enforcement “crippled.” Earlier this year, MAPO reiterated their opposition to a similar plan, noting that it “would reduce police protection and create ‘long-term budget problems.’”
Dixon has said she “absolutely” supported “phas[ing] out” funding streams for critical services as quickly as possible while Rinke indicated his “plain and simple” support for it. Neither have identified how or if they would replace the law enforcement funding eliminated by this “dramatic shift in state government operations.”
Meanwhile, Governor Whitmer has been deliberate about ensuring local law enforcement have the resources they need to maintain safe communities. Whitmer announced the MI Safe Communities Plan to provide $75 million to keep communities safe, including funding for the recruiting, training, and retaining of police officers in local departments and removing illegal guns from our streets.
MDP spokesperson Rodericka Applewhaite issued the following statement:
“Tudor Dixon and Kevin Rinke have repeatedly shown they are willing to irresponsibly slash the budget at the direct expense of police across Michigan – a clear display of their dangerous agendas that puts the safety of Michigan families and communities at risk.”
