Granholm's solution to economic woes - release prisoners and raise taxes

Yep, in order to alleviate the economic state of Michigan the Governor among other things wants to:

Levy a 2% sales tax on services

Great - exactly what the state needs - a tax to further drive businesses away and further costs on citizens.

Release prisoners

The releasing prisoner part is also quite troubling. While this will save costs of incarceration to the State, it will almost surely impose direct and indirect costs on the citizens of Michigan by increasing the criminal population in civil society.

Those to be released include:

3,400 prisoners who are serving time for such crimes as drug offenses, larceny, bad checks, home invasion and car theft. They would be placed in halfway houses and supervised with electronic tethers.

Sounds like a great idea. This would save the State $122 million in costs and likely lead to more crime, causing the citizens to demand the Governor to do something about crime, so she'll raise taxes to hire more police and pay for incarcerating those who she let out - its a brilliant solution!


If the governor believes that nonviolent criminals for such things as drug offenses, larceny, bad checks, home invasion and car theft etc., should not be in prison or should have lesser sentences, she should have the courage to request her party (in charge of the Legislature) have bills introduced to change the law accordingly, not do this early release game.