Hauck votes against closed-door plan that spends millions in taxpayer dollars

Hauck votes against closed-door plan that spends millions in taxpayer dollars

LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Roger Hauck on Wednesday issued the following statement after voting against a large funding measure that was rushed through the legislative process with no input from lawmakers or the public:

“This legislation uses taxpayer dollars to fund what amounts to nothing more than a partisan spending spree.

“Each of our districts are home to thousands of hardworking people, and this legislation freely spends their money without hearing even a word about how they feel about it. This bill had no discussion and no public scrutiny by those it would affect and from those whose money will be used to fund the efforts.

“This is just the latest example of ‘behind-closed-doors’ legislating we have seen from Democratic leadership already this term — despite repeated promises of open discussions and transparent government.

“The bill would allocate a total of $1.3 billion in taxpayer dollars, including $170 million to the state’s Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund and $630 million to site development at Ford Motor Company’s newly announced battery plant near Marshall. The measure spends millions on infrastructure with no details on what it will even be spent on.

“With the amount of money put forward, the state’s per-job cost is nearly $700,000 to help create jobs with an average salary of less than $45,000 per year. Over the next 20 years, the investment is expected to return less to the state in personal income and sales tax revenue than the state’s initial, up-front investment.

“Not only does the math not add up, it is so grotesquely one sided that it’s inconceivable that anyone would support this egregious spending in the first place.

“I am proud to have voted no on this terribly timed backdoor plan to give away taxpayer dollars while working Michiganders continue to hold their hand out wondering when the help they were promised is going to come.”

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