Rep. Roberts Disagrees With Proposed Cuts to Great Lakes Programs
State Rep. Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores, calls proposed cuts to Great Lakes programs a "complete lack of commitment to the very things that makes us Pure Michigan."
State Rep. Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores, is calling proposed cuts in the House Republicans' proposed budget to Great Lakes Programs "shortsighted."
Roberts, who is the Democratic vice-chairwoman of the Department of Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee, stated the budget will cut:
- Nearly $500,000from the Office of the Great Lakes. The office which leads policy development, implements programs to protect, restore, and sustain the Great Lakes, as well as facilitates the state's responsibilities with the Great Lakes Compact.
- $200,000 from the Surface Water Quality Program, which enforces the issuance of permits, compliance of activities concerning water quality, and the testing of surface water after sewage overflows. The cut also puts up up to $500,000 in federal matching grant dollars at risk.
"Too often we hear the rhetoric of Republicans on how we must protect and preserve the Great Lakes," Roberts said in a release. "Today, they had the opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. Once again they demonstrated a complete lack of commitment to the very things that makes us Pure Michigan: Our water and natural environment."
Roberts unsuccessfully offered amendments that would have restored the cuts.
"Cutting funding from programs to protect our Great Lakes, our water quality and our environment is extremely shortsighted and is completely counter intuitive to promoting Michigan as a place to travel and live," Roberts added.
M J C
10:03 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Republicans wouldn't put THIER money where their mouths are. They would have put the TAXPAYERS money where their mouths are.
DJG
12:11 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Read the comment below. Then go back to your hole.
Eileen Kowall
11:49 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
As Chair of the House DEQ Approps subcommittee, I have to say Rep. Roberts press release was premature, to say the least. I clearly stated at the comm mtg. that this budget was not final, but rather a beginning point from which there would be much negotiation. There are many moving parts to the state budget in total, including several large "assumptions" included in the Governors budget presentation that are likely not to happen, leaving us with a signficant budget hole. I stated that we needed to look at all department budgets in total before making any final decisions. It is my intention to work with my counterpart in the state senate through the conference committee process to restore most if not all GF/GP funding INCREASES to the DEQ budget, despite general fund constraints. Rep. Roberts' rush to a press release & leveling accusations show that she is either ignorant of the budget process or pouncing on a critical issue to make a partisan political hay day out it. Or both. Please stay tuned. It is very likely Rep. Roberts will be wiping egg off her face when it's all said and done.
Rashida Tlaib
4:53 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Someone is feeling guilty about their own budget bill. Rep. Kowall--you are the chair of the committee that passed a bill to cut a substantial amount of funding for great lakes protection. Own it! If you are not comfortable with it then the budget should never have been proposed. Why not wait until it is clear if this cut was even needed? Your comment was extremely unprofessional. It is in the best interest of the public to work in a bipartisan fashion instead of attacks.
Theodora Skinner
10:09 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Nobody wants to swim, fish or boat in a sea of brown goo.
T. Skinner