East Lansing officials are deeming Gov. John Engler’s veto of state revenue-sharing money to local governments a “dangerous” decision for MSU.
City leaders said the move, which could cost the city $4.6 million, could force the closure of East Lansing’s campus fire station on Shaw Lane. That would raise numerous safety concerns because of MSU’s high-rise buildings and structures containing hazardous material.
“The cost of protecting more than 43,000 students at Michigan State University is already far more than what the state was paying,” East Lansing Mayor Pro Tem Sam Singh said. “And now the state is playing a dangerous political game with the safety of those students.”
Engler announced Thursday his veto of $845 million of the revenue-sharing money that counties, townships and cities rely on for basic services. He also cut $7.4 million earmarked for fire departments as part of $1.1 billion in savings for the fiscal year.
The term-limited governor said the cuts will be necessary if three Nov. 5ballot proposals pass. Engler said he will reinstate the revenue-sharing money if voters dismiss the three “wordy and costly” initiatives.
The three proposals would revise the state’s drug crime sentencing procedure, put most of the tobacco settlement money toward health care and allow collective bargaining for state employees.
Singh said the governor’s personal stance against the proposals are putting local governments - and students - in jeopardy.
“I think it’s an outrage that the cities, counties and townships are being held hostage due to public opportunity for people to vote on the issues,” Singh said.
East Lansing and many other cities already had to deal with budget cuts last year when revenue-sharing money was down. Those cuts led to talks about reducing sidewalk installation, decreasing money for sidewalk repair and cutting city Planning Commission meetings from the city cable channel.
But those cuts are minor when compared to cuts in the fire department, city officials say.
East Lansing stands to lose $3,718,625 in state revenue sharing and $921,450 in fire appropriations for the 2003 fiscal year.
Despite that lost revenue, state law requires the city to provide fire protection to state government buildings and properties, although it is not required to operate a fire house on campus. MSU paid more than $900,000 to the city to help with those costs, but has been significantly reducing that amount since 1999.
State Rep. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, said Engler and the Legislature reached an agreement in good faith to keep revenue sharing and fire protection aid in place. Whitmer is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
“To say now this vital funding has to be cut because the tobacco initiative might be on the ballot is contemptible,” Whitmer said. “Everyone knew about the possible ballot initiative when the budget passed.”
But House Speaker Rick Johnson, R-LeRoy, stood behind Engler’s decision. Johnson said he hopes local funds will be restored immediately following November’s election.
“The state cannot afford to fund both the ballot proposals and revenue sharing,” he said.
Students don’t see it that way, though.
“That’s disgusting,” medical graduate student Jason Bydash said of the veto that threatens the campus fire station. “If you want emergency response, you’re not going to get it if they’re not close.”
More than 16,000 students live in campus housing during fall and spring semesters, and nearly 43,000 students are enrolled at the university.
Supporters of the ballot proposals also were shocked to hear of the veto. Members of Citizens for a Healthy Michigan Coalition, a group that introduced the tobacco settlement initiative in May, hopes to enlist members of the Legislature to override the governor’s veto.
It takes a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the Legislature to override a veto.
“He needs to stop grandstanding and start governing,” said Lori Latham, campaign manager for the proposal. “We know he doesn’t support the ballot initiative, but holding the state’s poorest families and city residents hostage - it’s nothing short of shocking.”
Staff writer Tara May contributed to this report.
Katie Byrne can be reached at byrnecat@msu.edu.
