Don't shoot the messenger

For years the legislature has ignored the warning signs that our state budget was structurally unstable and headed for collapse. Apparently they are spending too much time smelling roses and not enough time reforming Michigan’s costly government.

While State Representative Aldo Vagnozzi prefers to ignore the facts I recite, the hard-working, productive citizens of this state cannot. How ironic that Rep. Vagnozzi’s attack on my “negative attitude” comes the day after I was warned by my employer of possible cuts. As my personal income is threatened, the legislature seeks to raise the income tax and cause further harm to Michigan’s economy.

In his recent letter, Rep. Vagnozzi tried to counter my arguments for right-to-work legislation by using a couple of states as examples – Indiana and North Carolina. Let’s take a closer look.

Contrary to Rep. Vagnozzi’s claim, Indiana is not a right-to-work state and employees are still subjected to compulsory unionism. Hopefully our legislators are more careful with the facts when they craft legislation. Here’s another fact that may have eluded the representative. Purdue University’s business school reports that over 65% of its graduates reported finding jobs in Indiana. The University of Michigan’s business school reported that less than 40% of its graduates found employment in Michigan. A politician with a sunny disposition might say we have a lucrative export market in graduates from our excellent institutions of higher education.

Also, Rep. Vagnozzi might want to re-think using North Carolina to support his opposition to right-to-work laws. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Michigan lost 274,385 jobs from April 2000 to April 2007. During the same period of time, North Carolina gained 347,017 jobs. Perhaps a “positive” politician would say Michiganders have never experienced more leisure time in history.

It may sadden or irritate Rep. Vagnozzi to see such statistics but he should keep in mind the adage, “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

[Letter to the Editor - Farmington Observer. Published 05/31/2007.]