By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-868466.mp3
LANSING, MI – Governor Granholm resumes her campaign Monday to convince the public and the Legislature to raise revenue for schools and other services that she says are too crucial to cut. She has stops scheduled in Traverse City and Saginaw.
The governor is targeting areas represented by Republicans in the state Senate. She says Senate Republicans are responsible for looming cuts to schools because they won't support revenue options such as rolling back business tax breaks or taxing all tobacco products at the same rate as cigarettes. She says the deadline is November 20th, or schools will lose $300 per student.
"There are three weeks to persuade the Senate to reverse course before the school cuts take effect - three weeks," Granholm says.
The governor also wants more money to restore cuts to Medicaid, local governments, and college scholarships.
Republicans say the governor is creating a crisis to build support for tax increases. GOP leaders say they're turning their attention now to government reforms that will save taxpayers money.