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News Release

For Immediate Release Thursday, June 9, 2005
Contact: Daniel Farough
Phone: (517) 373-2093

Reps Blast GOP Budget

Republicans vote to close Newberry prison and punish U.P. students

LANSING – Upper Peninsula State Representatives today expressed disappointment with State Rep. Tom Casperson's (R-Escanaba) vote for a budget plan that closes a correctional facility in Newberry and drastically cuts funding to Northern Michigan University.

“Rep. Casperson promised to introduce amendments that would save the two U.P. facilities. We were all prepared to support those amendments 100 percent,” said Rep. Steve Adamini (D-Marquette). "We are disappointed that the amendments were never introduced.”

Today, the GOP budget proposal passed on a party line vote with all Republicans supporting it.

In addition to cutting NMU's budget by $14 million and closing the Newberry facility, the budget proposal:

· Eliminates $98 million for health care for low income children and their families;

· Removes nearly $38 million for day care services;

· Cuts more than $200 million in job-creation efforts;

· Cuts university work-study programs, the Part-time Independent Student Program, the Michigan Educational Opportunity Grant and the King-Chavez-Parks Program;

· Slashes $646,000 for adult foster and child day care facility inspection; and

· Prevents action on the Water Legacy Act, which protects Michigan’s Great Lakes from being bottled up and sold for profit.


“These cuts cause real damage to the U.P.," said Rep. Rich Brown (D-Bessemer). "Thousands of students will be affected by these cuts. Closing the Newberry Correctional Facility cuts 345 jobs. These attacks on the U.P. must stop. Pitting region against region is wrong and that must stop.”

Rep. Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard) said the GOP budget hurts the already rocky U.P. economy.

“At a time when U.P. citizens are struggling, it doesn't make sense that Republicans would vote to increase those hardships," McDowell said. “They let the Upper Peninsula down.”

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