Local

Granholm to announce $300 million in budget cuts

Monday, May 04, 2009

Tags:

local, joel feick

Joel Feick
More: Bio, abc12.com News Team, E-mail

LANSING (WJRT) -- (05/04/09)--Gov. Jennifer Granholm is expected to announce $300 million in state budget cuts Tuesday as the state tries to balance its budget.

An internal Michigan State Police source says it will include hundreds of layoffs for the State Police.

Although the governor's office isn't releasing details of the plan, a police officers union is sending out a memo that indicates 205 troopers will be laid off because of budget cuts.

The vice president of the Michigan State Police Troopers Association is urging state police officers to attend tomorrows hearing.

Christopher Luty quotes Capitol sources for the cuts that will eliminate 205 of the roughly 1,100 officers currently working for the State Police.

The vice chairman of the state appropriations committee says there are no sacred cows when it comes to the cuts.

"We'll be making some pretty substantial recommendations and they will affect State Police as well as every other department," said Rep. Rick Hammel (D-Mount Morris Township).

"This is an across-the-board cut as well as looking at some specific programs."

The state's budget hole is enormous. Michigan is perhaps $1.3 billion in the red.

Hammel chaired a subcommittee on economic development at Kettering University.

The head of the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth told the group that one area that's ripe for change is liquor regulation.

One proposal calls for doubling the cost of liquor license fees in our state. So-called "last call" could also be extended till 4 a.m.

"We have to make these steps as opposed to tax increases," Hammel said.

"The state's going to be cutting back even more and you'll probably see lapses in services and some delays but there's no other ways to do that. When you have less money you have to spend less."

Budget Director Bob Emerson is expected to reveal the entire plan at a joint House-Senate committee meeting Tuesday morning.