Craig, Rinke, Soldano, Johnson and Dixon support plans that threaten the budgets of critical services by the billions
Several of the Republican candidates vying for governor have thrown their support behind a “unsustainable” and “short-sighted” tax plan spearheaded by Republican legislators. A major display of the wrong-for-Michigan agenda they continue to push, the plan would have forced billions in cuts statewide to several key initiatives that address the issues that matter to working families, such as public education and law enforcement.
Aside from the fact that it “disproportionately helps the state’s wealthiest residents,” the disastrous bill would have forced more than $1.8 billion in annual cuts to Michigan’s budget. Over just three years, the GOP tax plan would have gutted public education resources to the tune of $624 million being stripped from the school aid fund.
The impacts are even more devastating for the efforts that go towards keeping our streets safe. The GOP tax plan threatened funding for over 5,000 state and local law enforcement officers and civilian employees. The potential impacts on Michigan State Police are even worse, as the cuts would have threatened general fund dollars that provide over 60% of MSP’s budget.
Nevertheless, candidates touted the bill:
- Despite the serious budgetary strains the GOP tax plan would put on local communities’ efforts to keep their streets safe, James Craig said it was a “great start” and wished it could “go even further.” Late last year, he advocated for cutting funding for underperforming public schools in order to funnel taxpayer resources to private schools.
- Kevin Rinke similarly indicated his “plain and simple” support for the tax plan. He also criticized Governor Whitmer for vetoing “the latest effort by legislative Republicans to create a school voucher system in Michigan” that would have reduced state investment in education by upwards of $500 million annually.
- Tudor Dixon also supported the tax plan. She’s been a staunch supporter of stripping critical funding from public schools and has said that repealing Michigan’s constitutional ban on using public money for private education was a top priority for her campaign.
- Garrett Soldano called for across-the-board blunt cuts to the budget that take no consideration for the needs and priorities of working families.
Additionally, Rinke – who has already celebrated new legislation making even bigger cuts to critical services – and Perry Johnson have backed a “piss-poor public policy proposal” that would:
- Cut nearly $8 billion from the general fund, threatening funding for thousands of Michigan State Police and slashing nearly two-thirds from the main funding stream for the Departments of Health and Human Services, Corrections, and State Police, on top of half of all revenue for other critical departments .
- Slash $3.5 billion from the School Aid Fund, the state’s main funding source for public schools in line with his similarly disastrous agenda to convert Michigan to a school voucher system that would have reduced state investment in education by upwards of $500 million annually.
- Eliminate $600 million in transportation funding and threaten additional federal funds secured with matching state dollars, which would undercut the state’s ability to keep making crucial repairs to roads and bridges.
MDP spokesperson Rodericka Applewhaite issued the following statement:
“This chaotic slate of Republican gubernatorial candidates continues to push a backwards agenda that would directly impact the safety of local communities, public schools’ effectiveness in preparing future generations of our workforce, and the quality of our roads and bridges. Michiganders deserve leadership that will keep working families first, not sell them short for disastrous plans that deprioritize their well-being.”
