Capitol News

State Representative Greg Alexander of Carsonville criticized House Democrats for declaring an early end to the legislative year, stating that their decision to take an extended vacation shows poor leadership. This move comes after recent mayoral elections resulted in a 54-54 split between Republicans and Democrats in the House, causing Democrats to lose their majority. Additionally, Democrats are using this maneuver to expedite the implementation of several new laws they passed.

Alexander expressed concerns that the extended vacation will hinder progress on important issues that the people of Michigan are relying on the state government to address. He emphasized the need for dedicated funding to fix local roads, improve public safety, and establish government transparency measures. Alexander stated, "House Republicans understand that finding common ground can be challenging, but we're willing to work hard to find it for the people we represent. Democrats simply took their ball and went home once they could no longer ram through their agenda."

He further highlighted the backlog of bills awaiting hearings in committees and the various issues affecting workers and families that need attention. Alexander questioned the importance of moving the presidential primary up a week at the expense of discarding weeks of work on behalf of the people. He urged the Legislature to continue meeting in order to address these pressing matters.

Alexander specifically criticized the rushed passage of financial disclosure bills, which lacked sufficient enforcement measures. These bills were a response to voters' approval of disclosure requirements in Proposal 1 of 2022. He argued that the weak enforcement provisions would not prevent individuals from masking their assets and raised concerns about fines for violations being paid with campaign accounts. Additionally, he criticized the lack of legislative authority to investigate conflicts of interest.

In response to the Democrats' actions, Alexander has supported several proposals, including a resolution calling for the end of the legislative year to be on December 28th, allowing for additional proposals to be considered. He also proposed measures to reduce legislator pay if the Legislature was not meeting during the extended vacation period.

Alexander concluded by expressing disappointment in the historic inaction of the chamber and the missed opportunity to make Michigan a better place to live, work, and raise a family. He argued that taxpayers should not be expected to fund extended vacations for lawmakers, stating, "That's not right."

The extended vacation taken by House Democrats has drawn criticism from State Representative Greg Alexander, who accused them of poor leadership. Alexander voiced concerns about the impact on important issues such as road repairs, public safety, and government transparency. He also criticized the rushed passage of financial disclosure bills, highlighting their weak enforcement measures. Alexander proposed alternative resolutions and measures to address these issues. He emphasized the need for the Legislature to continue meeting and work together to enact meaningful reforms for the benefit of all Michiganders.

To find out more, go to this link: https://gophouse.org/posts/rep-alexander-democrats-extended-vacation-nixes-progress-for-needed-reforms