• I wanted to address all of the recent tax cut proposals we’ve been taking votes on in Lansing. While many in our communities are struggling with rising prices at the pump and elsewhere, we have seen a truly irresponsible tax slashing frenzy from our majority party counterparts that can only be described as reckless. As just one example of this fiscal irresponsibility, the recently passed state gas tax suspension would blow a $750 million hole in our budget for road repairs and translate into thousands of jobs lost and road repair projects halted and delayed. The income tax change recently considered, less than $50 for most Michigan families and a generous gift of thousands of dollars to the wealthiest Michiganders, would have cost the General and School Aid Funds billions each year. Another tax proposal would have forfeited billions in federal assistance funds. We’re hard at work to find solutions and relief for Michiganders but the recent proposals we have seen would have devastating impacts on our state for years to come.