Rick Snyder: Lansing budget crisis 'is not what government should be all about'
The quarrel in Lansing over how to eliminate Michigan’s $2.8 billion deficit underscores the need for an altogether new approach to state government, Ann Arbor business leader and Michigan gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder said today.
Snyder, who spoke with AnnArbor.com after his appearance at an Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce event today, lobbed intense criticism at lawmakers’ inability to strike a deal.
“This whole process is not what government should be all about,” Snyder said. “This is wrong.”
Snyder, a Republican, is a venture capitalist, former president of computer-maker Gateway Inc., former executive chairman of Michigan Economic Development Corp., and founder of Ann Arbor SPARK.
Snyder last week won a symbolic Republican straw poll at a conference on Mackinac Island and secured an endorsement from Ford Motor Co. executive chairman Bill Ford Jr. But polls show he faces a steep climb to the August 2010 primary.
Lansing lawmakers are wrangling over how to eliminate the state's budget deficit. The discussions could devolve into a government shutdown if the legislature doesn't reach an agreement by midnight.
Here are excerpts from his conversation with AnnArbor.com’s Nathan Bomey:
How does Rick Snyder approach a situation like today if you’re in office?
Well this never would have happened if I was in office. I strongly hope they complete a budget today. We clearly don’t need a shut down. That’s a disaster.
But this whole process is not what government should be all about. This is wrong.
We fundamentally should have had a budget done months ago.
Think about these poor students and the “Michigan Promise” (scholarship recipients). What an ironic name. These kids are already in school being told their money is going away? That’s tragic. And that’s not right.
So we need to get back to redoing government and basically taking it from a bureaucracy to a customer-service business.
Government is this entity that’s gone on for decades without fundamental reinvention.
Let’s get to customer-service government. Let’s get a budget done that’s more transparent, has citizen and legislative involvement, working with the government, and get it done in a reasonable fashion where we prioritize things.
You’ve been worried that the state will waste the stimulus money by just plugging the deficit with it. Are you still concerned about that?
I’m absolutely concerned about it, because it looks like they’re on that path. There are long-term structural fixes that should be put into place to run a better government instead of just doing federal dollars.
It has amazed me the lack of transparency. What strings come with these dollars? They’ve been really amiss at not sharing the details.
They’re just trying to solve their problem and get out of a political issue.
Do you think that the model of Ann Arbor SPARK is relevant to the rest of the state?
I think it’s a great model. I think it’s a great thing that we could be leveraging across the state in terms of letting people replicate and learn.
Far too often in the state, we’re too negative with our neighbors or another part of the state that we’ve actually scared people away from coming to Michigan.
We’ve scared businesses away because one community will say something negative about another community instead of being proud Michiganders working together.
Contact AnnArbor.com’s Nathan Bomey at nathanbomey@annarbor.com or (734) 623-2587. You can also follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Janelle Baranowski
Tue, Oct 6, 2009 : 11 a.m.
Good luck with Snyder's spokesman. I've spoken with him on the phone and in person in an effort to get more details. I've been told 'specific details are coming soon' for the last two months. The entire campaign seems to be dragging despite the emphasis on 'technology' and 'innovation.' Sottovoce is correct about the straw vote, although it should be mentioned that Cox used the same tactic of trucking in college kids. I find it interesting that Bouchard logged only two fewer votes than Cox while not participating in the vote rigging schemes.
Nathan Bomey
Thu, Oct 1, 2009 : 1:02 p.m.
Sottovoce, thanks for these worthwhile questions! This particular interview amounted to a short conversation that ended after a few minutes due to time constraints at the chamber event. However, I'll contact Snyder's spokesman and see if he'd like to weigh in and answer your questions. Appreciatively, Nathan
sottovoce
Thu, Oct 1, 2009 : 12:43 p.m.
Thanks Nathan, but your piece tells the reader nothing about how he would solve the budget crisis. You write in your comment "Snyder has been criticized for a lack of specific ideas about how to fix Michigan." You had him in the chair. Why not ask him about them? Like "customer service...what do you mean?" or "long-term structural fixes...can you give me some examples?" The links for more info were from July (it's now October) and three other news sources. Also, you failed to mention the straw poll was won by ferrying in tons of young people at his (or his campaign's) expense, and was he the founder of SPARK, or just co-founder?
Nathan Bomey
Thu, Oct 1, 2009 : 12:29 p.m.
Sottovoce, thanks for the comment. This piece was intended primarily to ascertain Snyder's opinion about the budget crisis. Nonetheless, it's worth noting that Snyder has been criticized for a lack of specific ideas about how to fix Michigan. His campaign says Snyder is pro-life, pro-Second Amendment and "pro family." He's also stated his opposition to the Michigan Business Tax. Here's a few links for more info: http://www.freep.com/article/20090927/NEWS06/909270455/1001/News/Taxes--prison-policy-steer-debate-among-GOP-gubernatorial-hopefuls- http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/07/ann_arbors_rick_snyder_announc.html http://www.detnews.com/article/20090926/POLITICS02/909260372/1024/POLITICS03/Jobs--taxes-top-issues-of-GOP-gubernatorial-debate http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michigan/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1559408/Michigan.News/Michigan.GOP.Looks.to.2010 --Nathan Bomey
sottovoce
Thu, Oct 1, 2009 : 12:19 p.m.
Is puff-piece hyphenated? Should the reporter ask him questions that inform the reader or ones that glamorize the politician? He's for customer service, transparency, long-term structural fixes, and municipal cooperation...wow...doesn't everyone? Does he also believe in specifics? Where's the rest of the interview?
treetowncartel
Thu, Oct 1, 2009 : 11:11 a.m.
I don't think he is suggesting amending the Constituion, he is merely suggesting that the people in lansing need to get er done.
a2huron
Wed, Sep 30, 2009 : 8:18 p.m.
What he says makes a lot of sense. And I know this much for sure: I am tired of the same old politicians, jumping from one political job to the next in order to stay on the government payroll. Snyder is literally the only one of the bunch on both sides who is really different. Does anyone believe that if the the next governor is a former politician, he/she won't just bump the problem yet again down the road to the next person in office? I for one am ready for some serious change and new ideas. And I usually vote Dem!
aataxpayer
Wed, Sep 30, 2009 : 6:28 p.m.
Maybe it's time to revamp the constitution.
Michigan Reader
Wed, Sep 30, 2009 : 4:48 p.m.
Reinventing state government would mean redoing the Michigan Constitution, which provides the framework for state government. It's not going to happen. Who would decide on the new shape of the government? House and Senate members before the people get to vote on it. Which means more fighting among state legislators. And a possible veto by the governor if he/she thinks it's not in his/her best interest.