In the face of a hideous budget deficit the first target on Granholm's hit list for "reforming" state government is to go after public safety institutions.  Wow, there's a fighter.  We've already covered the fact that Granholm is calling for early prisoner releases for those prisoners that are not a threat to society.  Let me repeat that oxy-moron so that we can all grasp the hollow-headed thinking of this administration: PRISONERS who are NO LONGER A THREAT to society.  If this is the case, why are they prisoners in the first place?

But recently Granholm has wielded her budget-cutting knife toward the Michigan Department of State Police causing the cutting a trooper school, lay-offs of troopers, post closings and the implementation of mileage restrictions.  It is these last two subjects where I'd like to focus my attention.

Granholm announced this week that the State Police Posts in Hart, MI and Calumet, MI would be closing on Oct. 1.  In Calumet, their district will be patrolled by State Police from the department's post in L'Anse.  So here's the problem:

The state police fleet in L'Anse has a mileage restriction of 125 miles per shift.  Copper Harbor, MI (the northern most point of the district currently patrolled by the Calumet post that is set to shut down) is 79 miles away from L'Anse.  So, even if a trooper were to get in his cruiser, drive from L'Anse to Copper Harbor and do no patrolling at all before coming back, the trooper would come in 33 miles over his mileage limit.  Basically any city that is more than 62.5 miles away from the L'Anse post on the Keweenaw Peninsula is off limits now for the Michigan State Police.  Let's all give Governor Granholm a round of applause.

Now the governor is focused on cutting here, which I understand is a brave new world for her (despite all the BS she gives you about how much she has "cut").  But the problem is, just like anyone else who hasn't done what they are trying to do often, the governor is not very good at it.  While the state police are enduring these cuts and ridiculous restrictions from a "former attorney general and former federal prosecutor" they are rejoicing that their brand new, state of the art, $5 million headquarters is ready to be built in downtown Lansing.  But that's not the only unnecessary spending that's going on.

Last week it was announced that the nation's only State Surgeon General (got to wonder what the other 49 states know about what a waste this position is that Granholm doesn't) is going to be taking a taxpayer funded tour of the state.  What "expert" advice will we be getting for our money?  Wait for it, wait for it..........FRUITS AND VEGTABLES ARE GOOD FOR YOU!  Thank goodness Granholm finally wised up and took the Surgeon General off the state payroll.

Former State Legislator Michael Murphy was appointed to a position by Granholm that pays him a near six-figure salary.  What will Murphy be doing you ask?  Assisting Southeastern Michigan communities in establishing safe routes to school for school children.  Oh, and since he's going to be working predominantly in Southeast Michigan, guess where his office is...you guessed it, Lansing!

The Office of First Gentleman, one of my personal favorites.  Now in fairness to Daniel Mulhern he doesn't accept a salary from the state, but he has two staffers that do.  Can anyone explain to me what it is Mulhern does that is so critical to the state where he even needs a staff?

Last week there was a news report from the Oakland County area.  Granholm and friends were high-fiving each other that South Lyon and Holly were given $500,000 to beautify walking trails.  Now, this was federal money, but it was federal money earmarked for "transportation enhancement".  In the past we've used such funds for vital road repairs.  Granholm couldn't find a road project that could have better utilized this half a million dollars?

And then the 21st Century Jobs Fund (comes from tobacco settlement money, which is also used for Merit awards and could be used to help plug the budget hole).  Let's take a look at what we're spending and how many jobs we're getting out of it:

TJ Technologies in Washtenaw County received nearly $1 million.  The company pledged to create 1 new job (remember that next time you see the 21st Century Jobs Fund TV ad featuring this company).

NanoBio Corporation in Washtenaw County received
$2.4 million.  The company pledged to create 2 new jobs.

IA Inc./ThreeFold Sensors in Washtenaw County received $2.6 million.  The company pledged to create 4 new jobs.

Afid Therapeutics Inc. in Ingham County received $1.7 million.  The company pledged to create 0 (yes, as in NONE) new jobs.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

The point is, all this and more are coming from a governor who repeatedly claims, "there's no where left to cut".  But she found plenty of places in public safety to do just that while continuing to fund the examples I have laid out above, all of which are unnecessary at this time or plain ridiculous.