South Kent News

State Senator Thomas Albert, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, criticized Governor Gretchen Whitmer's proposed budget, calling it an irresponsible taxpayer-funded spending spree. According to Senator Albert, the governor's budget would burden taxpayers, threaten the financial future of children, and reverse the progress made in paying off debt and improving the state's finances.

Senator Albert accused Governor Whitmer of depleting a $9 billion surplus by unnecessarily increasing the state employee payroll and expanding government programs. With the surplus virtually gone and additional federal aid no longer available, the governor is now seeking money in all the wrong places. Senator Albert stated, "The governor wants to further burden taxpayers and threaten our children's financial future to continue state government's addiction to spending."

One of the points of contention raised by Senator Albert is the governor's refusal to maintain a lower personal income tax rate beyond 2023. Instead of allowing taxpayers to keep the money, Governor Whitmer plans to spend approximately $650 million a year. Additionally, the governor's proposal to divert $670 million from the school employee retirement system to pay off pension debt is deemed irresponsible by Senator Albert. He argued that this diversion of funds could put school retiree benefits at risk or force future generations to pay higher taxes.

Senator Albert expressed concern about the governor's allocation of funds for non-essential programs, stating that there should only be minimal room for small, targeted, and essential increases in the school aid budget. However, he hopes that sanity will be restored before the budget plan is finalized.

In response to the proposed budget, Senator Albert urged the public to subscribe to his email list to stay informed about their state government. He can be reached at P.O. Box 30036, Lansing, MI 48909-7536.

In conclusion, Senator Thomas Albert criticized Governor Gretchen Whitmer's budget proposal, voicing concerns about its impact on taxpayers and future generations. He argued that the governor's plan would continue the state government's addiction to spending and jeopardize the progress made in paying off debt and improving the state's finances.