Snyder, GOP Leaders Give 90-Day Progress Report
LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Michigan's Republican governor and GOP legislative leaders are ready to give a progress report on their first 3 months in office.
Gov. Rick Snyder, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and House Speaker Jase Bolger are holding a Thursday morning news conference to talk about what they've accomplished and whether they'll meet Snyder's May 31 budget deadline.
WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick says the governor and the two Republican leaders in the Michigan House and Senate are giving themselves pretty good marks for what they've done so far. About 90 days into the new administration, Snyder says, "If you go through the list from the State Of The State we've accomplished most of those items." That includes repealing the item pricing law and the emergency financial managers bill. However, as for the the bridge between Detroit and Windsor, the governor says we're making progress but he doesn't have the votes to do that just yet.
Democratic lawmakers have criticized much of what the Republicans have done. Even some GOP lawmakers aren't on board with Snyder's proposal to deeply cut spending on universities and public schools and take away tax breaks for retirees and the working poor. The governor says he's open to other suggestions. So far no full-blown alternatives have emerged.
WWJ listeners have been sounding off about the Snyder administration's progress. Some think Snyder deserves detention while others put him on the Dean's list:
"As long as the governor is backing this bridge he gets a failing grade."
"I think Snyder is doing very well. He is giving money to Detroit."
"I give Governor Snyder an F. He's trying to bust every union there is in our state."
"I think governor Rick Snyder is doing a great job. He's making all the difficult decisions that nobody wants to make."
"I give Governor Snyder a B+. I'd give him an A, but I don't think he's gone far enough on creating jobs"
"I give Governor Rick Snyder an F-, shame on the people of Michigan."
"I would shake that man's hand and make him king of the state if I could."
(Copyright, 2011. WWJ Newsradio 950, All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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