Reading the morning papers about Michigan's budget crisis is not fun

Michigan lawmakers  are taking are state right to the edge  of a big financial cliff. 

According to this morning's online newspapers, the consequences of the state legislature not being able to adopt a budget by Oct. 1 and causing a shutdown of state government could last for years.  Here's what I've read so far:

• The Detroit News in a story by Mark Hornbeck and Gary Heinlein outlines how the expected shutdown will affect everything from local public schools to supplies of liquor on store shelves.  Look for possible mid-year tuition hikes at state universities, for road construction to stop and for local schools to run out of money.
• Daniel Howes, a Detroit News business columnist, writes about how Michigan lawmakers and other political leaders are in a state of denial about the need for a tax increase to pass a budget and in a state of denial about how our state will be affected at all levels.
• The Detroit Free Press writes about how one Republican, Rep. Chris Ward, voted to raise the state income tax from 3.9 percent to 4.6.  That comes as part of a measure where $600 million would have to be cut from the budget.  What are the chances of that happening?
  

We seem to be at a historic moment in the state's history.  Michigan once was a leader  in being able to govern itself.  That doesn't seem to be the case anymore.    Where's this all going to end?  Whatever happens, I'm sure it won't be pretty.

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