LANSING – Governor Rick Snyder announced eight expansions of government to only two limitations, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy said in its annual analysis of his State of the State Address. The worst offense the group found was the $1.2 billion he proposed in new transportation funding.
“The governor and legislators rightly recognize that improvements can and should be made to Michigan’s roads,” Fiscal Policy Director Michael LaFaive said. “But there is already money in the state budget to cover that cost. The question is, do they want failed green energy boondoggles and other unnecessary spending or better roads and bridges?”
Allowing local governments to raise their own road funds also counted as an expansion, as did the Education Achievement Authority, Great Start funding, skilled trades training, added state troopers, the new 911 system, and the insurance fraud authority.
Limitations included streamlining licensing for veterans entering certain fields and no-fault insurance reforms (the group noted capping medical benefits, but Snyder did not offer such specifics in his address).
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