As state barrels towards a possible shut-down, polls show state divided

LANSING — As the state careens towards a constitutionally imposed deadline to adopt a balanced budget by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m., two new polls show differing views of where Michigan residents stand on solving a $2.7 billion budget shortfall.

The dueling polls also represent a deep schism in the state legislature — with the Republican lead Senate saying the budget can be balanced solely with spending cuts, while the Democratic lead House believes a combination of cuts and tax and fee increases is the ticket in resolving the budget crisis.

Republicans argue cuts in state revenue sharing to local municipalities, as well as Medicaid reimbursements, school aid funding and the elimination of the Michigan Promise Scholarship will balance the state’s budget. Democrats believe increasing taxes on alcohol, as well as levying a new tax on soda pop and entertainment tickets as well as cuts are the way to go.

But two polls released this week show Michigan citizens deeply divided on the solution, The Lansing State Journal reports.

A poll by Lansing-based EPIC-MRA found that 59 percent of likely voters support some mixture of budget cuts and taxes to balance the budget. A separate poll by Lansing-based Marketing Resource Group Inc. found that 58 percent oppose a series of tax increases and tax credit reductions proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

But one thing state lawmakers facing re-election might consider is an MRG poll question: Would you rather see the government shut down or pay higher taxes?

A slim majority of 600 people polled – 51 percent – said they would rather see the government shut down.

And while those polls show frustration and diametrically differing views on the budget crisis, dueling rallies this week show differing attitudes.

Fifty students on Tuesday rallied at the Capitol to save the Michigan Promise Scholarship. They also delivered more than 2,500 signatures of students from across the state to House Speaker Andy Dillon, Democrat from Redford Township, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, a Republican from Rochester. The students who signed the petitions were urging law makers to spare the scholarship from cuts.

And on Thursday, students launched phone campaigns against House Democrats to encourage them to tow the line and keep the scholarship alive. The group started with 20 House Dems who were allegedly not going to support the scholarship and by Sunday that number had shrunk to 15 law makers.

But on Sunday, a group aligned with the “Tea Party” protest movement called for a rally at the Capitol to oppose any increases in taxes or fees. The rally was called for 3 p.m., and by 3:15 only 20 people were in attendance. Many wore t-shirts with the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag on it, or carried flags.

Whether or not these protests will have any impact as the House and Senate continue to debate a solution remains to be seen. Both chambers are off on Monday for the Yom Kippur holiday and reconvene on Tuesday. If a budget is not reached by midnight on Wednesday, the state government will be forced to shut down.