State Rep. Cam Cavitt on Wednesday released a statement following the governor’s executive budget recommendations. The governor’s proposal included $1 billion in new spending with no additional funding to fix local roads, over 700 new state employees, and budget transparency measures that fall short of recent rule changes approved in the House.

“It’s nice to see the governor follow House Republicans’ lead and recommend changes to how tax dollars are spent. Her rules, which would require disclosure of special projects five business days before a vote, do not go as far as our plan, which requires disclosure by May 1 for all projects. Regardless, it’s nice to see the governor finally propose some transparency measures after promising and failing to do so for the last six years.

“However, true accountability extends far beyond just fixing the way our budget process works. Within her proposals today, the governor recommended $1 billion in new government spending but failed to allocate new dollars to infrastructure fixes. She also wants to add over 700 new state workers to our already bloated workforce.

“If we truly want to uplift accountability and rebuild public trust in state government, that starts by rejecting spending increases and reallocating those dollars to the projects that matter most and the programs with a proven track record of success.

“Take the Orchard Beach Bridge near Cheboygan; I’ve been trying to get funding to rebuild the critical infrastructure for over two years now. School buses and emergency services rely on the crossing every day. I can’t imagine hiring another five people to man the phone tree over at MDHHS has a greater impact on public health than ensuring first responders can provide life-saving services in my community.

“More transparency will always be a good thing, but more government accountability starts with turning over every stone to ensure our tax dollars are being spent wisely and effectively.”

Cavitt serves as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE); as vice chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military and Veteran Affairs; and as a member of the Labor and Economic Opportunity, and Corrections and Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittees.

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