Every incoming politician must deal with the bad decisions of the previous administration. And Gov. Jennifer Granholm has had plenty to deal with in the past year.
Granholm faced a difficult year with a lagging Michigan economy, an unemployment rate of 7.2 percent and a projected budget deficit of around $1 billion for the 2004-05 year - and the next three years aren't going to be any easier.
Michigan residents are facing a struggling economy and Granholm is facing a difficult job, but every politician must deal with the troubles of the past and rise above them. Granholm is no different.
Granholm's spokeswoman, Liz Boyd, has said the administration has accomplished most of the goals it set out for the year, but many of the results of this are not evident to Michigan residents still struggling with the unemployment rate, which has been above 7 percent for the past seven months.
Granholm's budget plans for the new year will not be released until Feb. 12.
And while Granholm representatives stay positive, Michiganians still have no clue how the administration is going to improve the economy. The governor needs to step up her efforts in informing her constituents and turn up her passion for the people a notch.
While the administration has said they have accomplished most of the goals they set for 2003, did they necessarily accomplish everything that needs to get done?
With a 7.2 percent unemployment rate, it looks as if there still is a need to keep jobs in this state.
A year in office is a short time, but Granholm's administration must start going full-steam when dealing with the budget and economy.
Granholm also has had to make tough decisions when dealing with higher education and funding and has made some controversial decisions with cuts and spending.
She must make sure that she takes higher education and spending into account and must realize that colleges and universities are vital parts of revitalizing Michigan's economy.
With a projected $1 billion state deficit in 2004, it doesn't look as if the next three years are going to get any easier. Granholm and her administration need to toughen up and start giving Michigan residents results now.
