LANSING — State Representative Charles Smiley (D-Burton) said today that Republican policies have hurt Michigan’s middle-class families and haven’t kick-started an economic recovery in the state, despite what Gov. Rick Snyder claimed in his annual State of the State address.
“The governor painted a rosy picture of Michigan’s situation to hide the fact that his policies aren’t working,” Smiley said. “His massive corporate tax cut — paid for by raising taxes on the middle class and seniors — isn’t creating jobs, but we still have to foot the bill. It’s time for a new course of action.”
In his State of the State address, Gov. Snyder did not mention middle-class tax cuts, relief for seniors who now pay taxes on retirement income or restoring $2 billion in education funding. He continued his support for the Education Achievement Authority, which paves the way for school vouchers and allows for-profit corporations to take over public schools. Michigan drivers would also pay more in annual car registration fees under Snyder’s infrastructure plan, and possible reform to Michigan’s No-Fault Insurance law could limit benefits for car accident victims.
“We can’t expect students to succeed when the Legislature diverts billions of dollars from education funding. Setting up our schools to fail — and punishing them with a corporate takeover when they do — is the wrong approach for Genesee County and for Michigan,” Smiley said. “Instead, we need to stop raiding the School Aid Fund and invest in our children’s future. That’s the true path to job growth, and one I fully support.”