Dear Inquirer,

Lansing has operated behind closed doors for far too long. Decisions were made in secret, and too often, taxpayers were left wondering where their hard-earned money actually went. House Republicans are changing that. We put an end to backroom deals and restored honesty, accountability, and transparency in our state government. 

We just passed transformational reforms to open up the budget process and made sure every taxpayer can see exactly how state funds are being allocated and spent. Every earmark in the budget must now go through a public process that includes hearings and oversight months in advance. Nothing is hidden. And, for the first time in Michigan history, we banned earmarks from going to for-profit companies. 

We also cut hundreds of millions of dollars in waste and undisclosed spending through the Hall Ethics, Accountability, and Transparency (HEAT) plan, which will now be a permanent law. That means future budgets will have to follow the same strict transparency standards, so Lansing can never go back to the old way of doing business.

Our reforms go even further. We eliminated 2,000 ghost employees who were being funded by state departments even though the jobs did not actually exist. We reduced the size of the state government by $800 million, putting that money back into things that matter like roads, schools, and public safety. Agencies and departments will have to account for every dollar they spend, so there’s no room for hidden transactions. 

Unfortunately, not everyone in Lansing shares our commitment to transparency. Two weeks ago, the Senate Democrats pushed a watered-down version of our transparency reforms that would give the public only ten days to review earmarks before they’re approved. This is not streamlining the government; it is a return to rubber-stamp spending. House Republicans led the way on real transparency with HR 14, which requires every spending item to be publicly justified and listed online before a vote. We need to finish the job with lasting reforms that keep Lansing accountable, not take steps backward.

Our government should always be accountable to the people it serves. That means no more secret spending, no more backroom earmarks, and no more waste., These reforms represent a permanent victory for Michigan taxpayers who deserve honesty, transparency, and accountability from their state government. 

When Republicans lead, we get results that make Michigan more efficient and more accountable.

Sincerely,

Matt Hall

Speaker of the House

Click here to unsubscribe from further emails