The Lansing State Journal has disturbing information from Michigan's knock-down, drag-out budget battle in today's editions. Apparently, Governor Jennifer Granholm has refused to cut an October check to the Michigan State University Agriculture Experiment Station and MSU Extension. She is also, apparently, seriously considering use of the line item veto to end this $64 million in annual funding permanently.
State to Cut MSU Extension and School of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Why is this important? Michigan State is the epicenter of the new "green" economy in the state. The university provides the intellectual and scientific base for Michigan industries in agriculture, travel and tourism, alternative power and the environment.
These cuts would cut many of these efforts at the knees. And they raise the question of whether Michigan can afford to participate in the new "green" economy.