This Week in Michigan Politics, Christina Shockley and Jack Lessenberry discuss the governor’s race, Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget proposal and farm bill.
Snyder's budget proposal
Gov. Rick Snyder unveils his budget plan today. Lessenberry says the one plan we are likely to hear about is a commitment to increase funding for education in the state. Snyder wants to increase state funding by 6 percent for higher education and 3 percent for K-12.
“This is an election-year budget and the governor wants to be able to please as many people as possible as he runs for reelection,” Lessenberry says.
The governor's race is on
Gov. Snyder announced this week that he is running for a second four-year term. So far, former Congressman Mark Schauer is the only Democratic challenger who's stepped up.
Lessenberry says the biggest challenge for Schauer in the race is to actually get his name out there.
“There are plenty of people with grievances against Snyder – from pensioners who are now paying taxes to union people who don’t like Right to Work – but they have to be convinced also that Schauer is a credible alternative and most people in the state still don’t know who he is,” Lessenberry says.
President Obama to sign farm bill in East Lansing
This Friday, President Obama will sign the farm bill into law at Michigan State University.
Lessenberry says this is a tribute to Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who spent who years fighting to get the bill done.
