“I uphold the Constitution to the best of my ability, so help me God.” -Josh Schriver
June 11, 2024
Dear Neighbor,
Right now, budget negotiations are kicking into high gear this spring, as the rush begins to get the 2024-2025 budget finalized before the 4th of July. As your watchdog in Lansing, my job is to be a good steward of your tax dollars. I believe that the #1 job of our government is to maintain our roads, keep our communities safe, secure our elections, protect our national security, and spend our tax dollars in a prudent manner. Also, our government must stick to core functions as defined within our Constitution. Anything beyond this will result in harmful government overreach.
As I look at the priorities Lansing has once again for the next fiscal year, the state budget once again misses the mark. Their priorities are totally messed up: prioritizing kickbacks to the lobbyists and special interest groups, implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies on college campuses, funding Planned Parenthood through MDHHS, and other radical liberal policies.
The state continues to spend more and more of your hard-earned money. In this year’s budget, our government is proposing to spend a record $81 billion - a $22 billion dollar increase over the 2019 budget. That’s nearly 40% more money just in 5 years!
The money is going to have to come from somewhere to pay for all of this reckless government spending. Right now, they’re doing it through fee increases, stimulus money from the feds, and other backdoor approaches. What happens when all that federal money runs dry?
Taxpayers will be on the hook for all this. It means less money available to put toward retirement savings, family vacations, housing, food, gas, and many other things. Furthermore, more Michigan families will soon find themselves having to work 2-3 jobs just to put food on the table.
This is not the way to grow Michigan’s economy! If we want to see more businesses expanding to Michigan, we need to:
● Cut the personal income tax rate. Some may argue that cutting taxes will result in funding shortfalls for public education and other government services, but it will also force our politicians to manage public funds more responsibly.
● Put lots of red tape on the chopping block. Did you know that hair stylists have to jump through countless hoops with our government just to cut someone’s hair?
● Make sure road repairs are fully funded. Currently, our roads are underfunded by nearly $4 billion per year. The solution is simple: reduce the funding gap by eliminating shady corporate welfare deals, $1.1 billion per year in services for illegal immigrants, and prioritize what really matters.
● Rethink our approach to reaching the next generation. Eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion state departments and focus instead on teaching students the skills they need to excel after they graduate from college.
● Crack down on illegal immigration. Allocate funding for identifying, detaining and deporting thousands of illegal aliens who are in this state illegally.
As your State Representative, unless the glaring issues we have identified are miraculously resolved, I plan to vote NO on these budget bills once they reach the House Floor. Furthermore, I will do everything I can to bring attention to the many ways some people in Lansing are spending your tax dollars irresponsibly.
God Bless You,
Representative Josh Schriver
For the sake of full transparency and accountability, I am one of only 8 out of 110 State Representatives in Michigan to report every single vote I make with a reason for each vote.
Below, you will find all of my votes and reasons from this week:
HB 5223/5224: Unnecessary Traffic Laws
NO- This bill represents an unnecessary addition to already existing laws like reckless driving, negligent homicide, or manslaughter. Also, the penalties outlined in this law are far too severe.
PASSED 79-29
PASSED 78-30
All 2023 VOTES & REASONS: CLICK HERE
All 2024 VOTES & REASONS CLICK HERE