Senate Resolution 13 asking the governor to negotiate to make President's Day a work day for state employees.
Mr. President, next Monday morning, the sun will come up, alarm clocks will sound and the vast majority of Michiganders will rise, rub the sleep from their eyes and will celebrate President's Day by heading off to their jobs.
Throughout Michigan, auto repair shops will open, so will restaurants, retail shops, print shops, dry cleaners, and dentist offices. In my district, the Kalamazoo Public Schools will be open - teachers and students will report as usual. The Kalamazoo Public Library will hold its normal hours. In Kalamazoo, City Hall will be open for business as usual. The Township offices will be open. Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan will all hold classes.
Across the border, in Indiana, state offices will be open for business.
But here in Michigan, where state government faces another huge budget shortfall; here in Michigan, were we don't have enough resources to pave our roads properly; here in Michigan were we can no longer afford to keep our prisoners locked up; here in Michigan where we can't fully fund our schools; here in Michigan, on Monday we are going to give state employees the day off with full pay!
When we lose people and jobs to the State of Indiana we are sometimes told that it is because of our tax structure - that people and businesses pay more in Michigan. Now if the people are paying more in Michigan shouldn't it follow that they would be receiving better services from state government? One might think that perhaps those higher taxes would result in faster services, a quicker turnaround time, or a better response from state government.
But sadly, that is not the case. Because in Michigan, we make businesses pay more, but they actually get no services on Monday, because government will be on vacation.
My friends if we are ever to truly turn Michigan around. We must stop paying government more and getting less in return. In order to fix Michigan, state employees cannot be paid for being idle while the rest of Michigan is yearning to go to work.
Mr. President I request that my remarks be printed in the Journal.