'DO YOUR JOB OR GET OUT'

By CAROL HOPKINS Of The Oakland Press

No one is faring well in the current state shutdown mess, according to the people who answered The Oakland Press' online survey Friday. Most, like Daniel Mysla kowski of Lake Orion, sound fed up. "Our elected representatives had the whole year to address this budget mess, which they created in previous years," he said. Advertisement"So what gives? Why are we now days before the end of the state's fiscal year, and to the point of a shutdown of state services?
"A month ago, our elected reps were consumed in selfserving term-limit discussions instead of serious budget discussions.
"Where are the priorities and leadership?"
Both parties at fault
Steve Dobkowski of Dearborn saw the budget battle as "the Michigan Republican Party trying to overthrow Michigan's elected governor."
"While she is not perfect, she has been elected leader of Michigan state government by the voters," he said.
"Let the blood be on the hands of Republican legislative leaders for the damage done to Michigan families."
James Phelps of Rochester Hills disapproves of the governor's stance.
"It is time to stop her 'I'min-control' mentality," he said.
"Obviously, she is more interested in maintaining the appearance that it is her state rather than what makes sense."
Approve a continuation
Thomas Sweda of West Bloomfield Township favors a budget continuation.
"Why this governor chooses not to allow services to continue to function for 30 more days while a solution is being sought demonstrates her commitment to only political power and herself. The people of Michigan and the needs of our most vulnerable citizens obviously do not mean as much to her."
Maybe a shutdown is not so bad
Some people speculated a shutdown might prove advantageous.
"If the state government cannot figure out how to spend what they have and no more, maybe a shutdown to balance the budget is good," said James Hunt of Waterford Township.
"Unfortunately they will hold our children and society as hostages by cutting schools and police like always."
Shut it down, offered Denis Potzin of Waterford.
"There will be no difference at all if there is a shutdown. Let the people run things for awhile. We surely won't do any worse, and we will not get all the pay that (government officials) steal from us taxpayers. Let (politicians) get a real job where you get fired if you make the mess they have given us."
Live within your means
Richard Fifield of Oxford is looking at the crisis from his perspective - as a person on a fixed income.
"If I did this with my banking, it would have been closed (by the bank) long ago," he said.
"Get off your duffs and do your job or get out, and let someone who knows what they're doing take over."
State employee tired of sacrificing
M. Hill of South Lyon, a state employee, wrote to complain of being "sick and tired of (Michigan residents) not wanting to pay additional monies but wanting additional services from the state."
"I am tired of the individual egocentric nature of Americans who want something for nothing, don't want to be financially inconvenienced and don't care if others, through no fault of their own, suffer financially so the public can have egocentric wants met for free," he said.
"It is time that our state legislators and the public they represent pay up and quit punishing state employees arbitrarily. It has to stop here."
No more taxes
Many respondents stressed they did not want more taxes.
"This state is bleeding jobs, and all the Democratic leadership can think of is to increase the tax burden on the remaining state citizens to make up the difference in reduced revenues for the state," said J. McDonald of White Lake Township.
"We private sector workers have had to tighten our belts and/or seek work out of state. It is time for some accountability and for state and public education employees to share the pain."
Kevin Snyder of Waterford believes the governor and legislators "should make personal cutbacks like the rest of us have, including her husband and whatever his job may be."
"If you raise the taxes, more people will move out of state, thereby lowering the tax base," he wrote, "and those of us still here will carry the burden. If you raise liquor and tax other items, then people will bootleg out of Indiana or elsewhere, and again those of us left will carry the burden."
Brian King of Waterford has a long list of complaints for officials.
"Our real estate values have plummeted, our unemployment is the highest in the nation, we are No. 1 for people leaving their home state for jobs elsewhere - and our state representatives want to raise our taxes? I cannot think of any more nails to drive into the future economy of the Michigan coffin. Representative means representing the people's will. State reps, do your job and listen to your districts - we do not want more taxes."
Consider the unemployed
"Our economy and state is the worst of all 50 states," said Jeannie Robertson of Farmington Hills.
She scolded the state for not working to keep jobs in Michigan.
"We Michigan citizens deserve to have a government fighting for our people, not sending our revenue and jobs to other countries and states," she said.
"There are too many people unemployed with children that can't even find a job."
Cut the budget
Dave Bridson of White Lake Township believes the governor is "playing games" and would be better off cutting budgets.
"The state is still bringing in revenue and can continue," he said. "There is still plenty of fat to cut from the government, yet she is lying on the ground throwing a temper tantrum to get a tax hike."
Creative solution
Pontiac resident Kevin Verhey suggested hitting politicians in the wallet.
"(State representatives) should be fined $2,500 a day after the deadline," he said. "If they don't get a budget passed by the deadline, then they all lose their jobs.
"You would see a budget passed long before the deadline."
Verhey pointed out politicians were "elected to do this as part of their job."
"If they can't do it, then they should be let go. That's how it works for the rest of us - why not them? 'We the people' are the ones who lose out, not them. They should be accountable."
Bad PR for Michigan
Rochester Hills residents John and Val Cassel believe the shutdown "is just going to send more people away."
"They have had long enough to solve this problem," the Cassels wrote. "The House, Senate and governor should take pay cuts along with the rest of us. They just keep getting raises, prices keep going up, but hard-working people's pay isn't increasing. The shutdown will put more people out of work and then what?
"Also, who do they think they are fooling with their $1.8 billion deficit if they think the people of this state cannot figure out that the budget is $3 billion larger in the first place?"
Charlie Cook of Oxford stressed that Michiganians already have endured increases in fees "across the board for every type of license and an accelerated property tax."
He said Granholm "should be ashamed to even suggest a tax hike when so many people in Michigan have no jobs."
"I cannot begin to count the number of people I know who have left the state in the last year because they lost their jobs - not because the company they worked for moved out of Michigan, but because their employer had to close their doors due to the lack of business," Cook said.
James Hall of West Bloomfield is concerned about the politicians' behavior in the crisis.
"I usually ground my children for a week for acting the way these yahoos are acting," he said. "It doesn't matter which party is responsible, come up with a solution.
"I cannot think of a single reason I should continue to pay any Michigan state income tax, when I'm receiving no services for my money.
"I used to be proud to say I'm from Michigan. Not so much anymore."