Now...

The idea that 08 is such a disaester that it can't be fixed through cuts alone is beyond silly.  It's ridiculous.  Ludicrous.  Crazy.  Daft.  Stupid.

There are options for an 08 budget that weren't available for the 07 budget.  Savings that you wouldn't see fully without applying the changes to a full fiscal year.

Here are some of the obvious areas:

1. MESSA... the Senate introduced the legislation to kill it this week and accomplishing that could save as much as $400 million in FY 2008.

2. Placing 5% of prisoners in privately managed facilities.  Just 5% could save as much as $200 million a year according to the Rio Grande foundation.

3. Eliminating the Office of the First Gentleman (and firing it's staff).  That would save a quarter of a million dollars.

4. Capping welfare benefits for able bodied adults at 4 years immediately so recipients who've been on the program have notice that at the beginning of FY08 those who've been charging up their bridge cards for 4 or more years are going to have to find a job (cruel in Granholm's economy, I know, but only fair).  Estimates vary on this one but it too would save tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars year one.  Michigan remains the ONLY state in the region without limits on welfare.