State Rep. Joe Aragona criticizes past spending and calls for reforms to eliminate waste, prioritize infrastructure, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
Rep. Aragona Criticizes Past Spending, Calls for Accountability
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — State Rep. Joe Aragona, R-Clinton Township, strongly opposed increased spending following Michigan’s latest revenue projections from the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference. Aragona emphasized the need for fiscal discipline and reforms to cut waste, return surplus funds to taxpayers, and prioritize critical infrastructure projects like road improvements.
“The Democrat trifecta already blew through a $9 billion surplus,” Aragona said in a statement Friday. “It doesn’t matter if there’s more projected revenue – spending should not go up.”
Aragona’s remarks come amid growing debate over how to allocate Michigan’s surplus revenue, which fiscal leaders say could exceed previous estimates. He underscored the importance of eliminating budgetary waste and redirecting funds to pressing needs like roads.
Infrastructure, Waste, and Taxpayer Relief Take Center Stage
Aragona highlighted Michigan’s ongoing infrastructure challenges, particularly road funding, as a key priority. He pointed to missed opportunities for bipartisan agreements during last year’s lame-duck session, blaming Democratic leadership for the impasse.
“We were willing to make a road funding deal during lame duck, but Democrats who controlled the House refused to negotiate,” Aragona said. “There is room within the budget for more money for roads.”
Criticizing what he called “frivolous” expenditures, Aragona also slammed allocations such as free public Wi-Fi for Detroit’s Greektown area, $500 e-bike credits, and initiatives supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). “That’s all money that should be going to roads,” Aragona said.
Aragona also took aim at corporate subsidies, citing broken promises to create jobs. “We need to stop giving massive subsidies to corporations that don’t follow through on their promises to create jobs. That’s money that should get put toward infrastructure.”
Pushing for Earmark Transparency and Oversight
Aragona announced changes House Republicans are implementing to address what he described as secretive earmarking practices. New rules will require lawmakers to list their names, recipients, and the purpose of earmarks to promote transparency and accountability.
“The Senate is going to have to follow that rule too, because earmarks without names attached are not going to survive a conference committee,” Aragona warned.
He referenced a controversial $4,500 coffeemaker purchased by a Whitmer political appointee using taxpayer dollars. The funds were part of a $20 million grant intended to start a business accelerator, a decision Aragona criticized for its lack of oversight.
“That funding was negotiated in secret, and the organization that received it didn’t even exist at the time the money for it was put in the budget,” Aragona said. “That’s a good example of why the oversight committee is getting subpoena power.”
Clawback Language to Be Reintroduced
Aragona pledged to reintroduce clawback language that would allow the state to recover funds if recipients fail to meet specified goals. The provision gained bipartisan support in the House and Senate during last year’s budget process but was removed in the final version of the budget.
“The clawback had bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, but then that language mysteriously disappeared from the final version of the budget when it came out of conference committee,” Aragona said. “Expect to see the clawback language again. And this time, it stays in.”
Aragona asserted that recovering misallocated funds could provide additional resources for road improvements and other critical needs.
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