Our state is facing a nearly unprecedented fiscal
crisis, the result of more than a decade of job losses,
continued erosion of the state's economy, and the
failure by policymakers to tailor the state's tax system
to new economic realities.
The Michigan Legislature is now working on the fiscal
year 2010 budget. Like many other states, Michigan
must balance its budget each year-it is legally
prohibited from running a deficit budget. Therefore,
the state can: 1) further cut programs and services; 2)
restructure its tax system to reflect the current
economy; or 3) adopt some combination of cuts and
tax changes.
Both chambers and the Governor have once again
proposed to balance the budget through significant
cuts that, if enacted, would be extremely harmful for
our vulnerable children and families.
Your legislators are home for the Fourth of July break--
visit with them and tell them that Michigan needs real
leaders for our families to find solutions that will
protect our most vulnerable children and families.
The state budget cannot be balanced on the backs of
these families.
Find out what you can do and who to contact to ensure
that funding for children and families is maintained in
the budgets in the July 2 Action Alert.
