Advancing Civil Society: A State Budget to Strengthen Michigan Culture
At its core, the budget of the state of Michigan is not about money-it is about people and the way they organize their society. This line-by-line analysis of Michigan's 1995-96 state budget reflects a principled vision for Michigan culture by asking this question about each budget item: Should this program or activity be done by the authority of the state and financed by taxes, or should it be done by its individual citizens acting in voluntary cooperation and private contract with one another? The study recommends over $2 billion in spending reductions (over 7 percent of the state budget) achieved by eliminating unnecessary and counterproductive programs, rolling back unjustified program growth, and contracting out for services that can be handled more efficiently by the private sector. This landmark analysis will help citizens, candidates, and officials of any state craft budgets that promote the strengthening of private institutions and civil society. 97 pages.
Contents
- Introduction
- Summary of Recommendations
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Civil Rights
- Department of Civil Service
- Department of Commerce
- Community Colleges
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Education
- General Government
- Higher Education
- Jobs Commission
- Department of Labor
- Department of Management and Budget
- Department of Mental Health
- Department of Military Affairs
- Department of Natural Resources
- Department of Public Health
- Family Independence Agency
- Department of State
- Department of State Police
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Treasury
- Appendix I: Refusing Federal Funds
- Appendix II: Contacts
- About the Authors
- Endnotes
