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Washtenaw County Lawmakers Respond to Governor Rick Snyder's State of State Address

Ann Arbor News, Ypsilanti News
WEMU-FM

SEE ALSO: Michigan State of the State Address 2014

 
55th District State Representative Adam Zemke says he heard some positive things in Governor Rick Snyder's State of the State Address.  Zemke however says the details of the speech leave some questions.  He says the governor's statements on increased K-12 education funding left out the fact that without increases in direct per-pupil funding means more money isn't getting to classrooms.

Zemke says he did appreciate the governor talking about work on educator effectiveness since excellent teachers and administrators are the key.  He says when it comes to discussion of the projected surplus lawmakers need to remember most of it is one time money.  He says tax relief should be focused on the lowest income residents that have seen tax hikes while Snyder has been in office.

53rd District State Representative Jeff Irwin says he heard what he expected in Governor Rick Snyder's state of the state address.  Irwin says in an election year Snyder tried to wipe away his record on taxes, education, and other areas.  Irwin says Snyder carefully parsed his words on issues like tax reductions to make statements that are off the reality most residents are facing.  He says it was disappointing Snyder didn't talk about energy policy or higher education at all in his address.  He says the projected surplus should go back to the pensioners and low-income workers whose higher taxes created the surplus.

54th District State Representative David Rutledge says Governor Rick Snyder had a lot of lovely rhetoric in his state of the state address, but he says the governor has backslid on promises in the past.  Rutledge says he supports greater investment in early childhood education but the governor's statements on the issue left out the fact the funds came from k-12 education.  He says by counting funds for teacher pensions the governor may be accurate in saying more money is going to k-12, he says more money isn't going to classrooms.

— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.

 

Like many, I first came to this area when I started school at the University of Michigan, then fell in love with the community and haven’t left. After graduating from U of M in the mid 1990’s I interned at WDET for several years, while also working a variety of jobs in Ann Arbor. Then in 1999 I joined the WEMU news team.
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