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Protesters gather for State of State speech

By Lauren Talley, Michigan Public Radio Network

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-883664.mp3

LANSING, MI – About 400 people met outside the Michigan State Capital to protest at Governor Granholm's State of the State address.

Banners waved with messages to cut taxes, stop foreclosures and one said, "Don't Tax Me Bro." Wendy Day says the protesters message was clear - they want their government to listen to them. Day is part of the anti-tax tea party movement. She says the State of the State address is a rare opportunity for citizens to voice their concerns.

"While we feel like yelling at empty buildings we have to move beyond that," Day says. "On this night, the building isn't empty. Every elected official, the Supreme Court justices, the governor are all here and this is an opportunity maybe a once a year opportunity, to them this is like their prom, to come and have our voices heard."

"No foreclosures!"

That's the Moratorium Now Coalition. These protesters are calling for a freeze on foreclosures, evictions and utility shutoffs.

"Bail out the students, not the banks!"

Nearly 50 students marched from the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. They protested the decision last fall to cut the Michigan Promise College Scholarship.

Ben Lazarus of NoBrokenPromise.com hopes Governor Granholm will find a way to fund the scholarship without raising taxes.

"And I think it's important she understand the reality of the stories of the people that her broken promise has affected," Lazarus says.

Granholm opposed eliminating the scholarship and says it will be a part of the budget she will present on February 11th.

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