North Michigan News

Rep. Ken Borton has criticized Governor Gretchen Whitmer for her proposal to cut funding for the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), calling it a move to undermine transparency in government. Borton, a Republican from Gaylord, expressed his concerns about the potential consequences of slashing the OAG's budget, which plays a crucial role in uncovering mismanagement and failures in state agencies and programs.

“This proposed crippling of the OAG is a perfect example of the misguided leadership we’ve experienced under Gov. Whitmer,” said Rep. Borton. “Normal people in normal professions have to fix problems when auditors bring them to light. Clearly, the governor believes she’s above normal people. No working-class person can threaten to defund their company if they receive a bad performance review.”

Auditor General Doug Ringler also raised alarms about the 28% funding reduction, stating that it would severely hamper the OAG's ability to carry out its audit requirements and could even jeopardize federal funding. Borton criticized the governor's decision to cut the budget of the OAG instead of addressing the deep-rooted problems uncovered by the office, accusing her of attempting to silence the agency.

“Sunshine Week is supposed to be a time to celebrate successes in government transparency. Instead, the OAG is being forced to inquire why their budget is being cut for simply doing their job. Unfortunately, the answer is most likely as simple as they got on the governor’s bad side,” Borton remarked.

In a bid to enhance transparency and accountability in government, Borton highlighted the importance of House Bills 5422-5427, which aim to ensure that government agencies respond promptly to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The legislation proposes stricter timelines for producing records, increased fines for non-compliance, and the establishment of the Open Government Commission to address appeals related to FOIA requests.

“If Democrats wanted to flip the script and give the state a reason to celebrate, they could start by considering a recently introduced House Republican plan to ensure the governor’s office and Legislature actually have to respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests,” Borton emphasized.

The fate of HBs 5422-5427 now rests with the House Government Operations Committee, as stakeholders continue to advocate for greater transparency and accountability in Michigan's government.