Reactions are coming in after some intense--maybe radioactive is a better word?--comments made by Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley on the governor's budget proposal, which will come out next week.
On Tuesday, Calley compared next week's budget announcement to an atomic bomb. Calley's comments, from WKZO:
"Here's why I think that our message on the 17th of February is going to be dropping an atomic bomb on the city of Lansing: We're going to do an all-cuts solution to our budget deficit."
Sara Wurfel, Governor Snyder's press secretary, claims that Calley misspoke. From the Detroit News:
"This was an extremely unfortunate choice of words," she said. "It certainly doesn't take into account the very difficult decisions that are being made and the extensive efforts we are taking to help protect citizens and ensure we leave no one behind. We are doing everything we can to address the state's fiscal crisis and trim spending in all areas of the budget, but also to help preserve critical services." Also, "this is not an all-cuts budget," she said.
The Detroit News also reports that Calley admits that there may have been better ways to make his point, but Calley goes on, seeming to defend the spirit of the remarks:
"Reforms are hard — very hard," Calley said. "That's why they never happen."
What do you think? Is this frank talk or a sensitivity fail?
-Brian Short
