Flint Crisis

As the situation in Flint continues, several recommendations have been formulated. Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Doctor Eden Wells has recommended the State Board of Education make preschool more accessible and have more families enrolled in the Supplemental Assistance and Nutrition Program and the Women, Infants, and Children program.

Governor Snyder on Monday formed a new Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee to give recommendations for the crisis. Members include the director of Office of Urban Initiatives within the Executive Office of the governor, the deputy state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security within the Department of State Police, the director of the Department of Environmental Quality or his or her designee, the director of the Department of Health and Human Services or his or her designee, the director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs or his or her designee, the state treasurer or his or her designee, the superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee, the Flint mayor, three additional representatives of the city of Flint, three representatives of Genesee County, and three subject matter experts.

Governor Snyder may request additional funds for the city through a supplemental appropriations bill from the Legislature. The governor has also been in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Several legislators, including U.S. Representative Dan Kildee (D-Flint), Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint) and Representative Phil Phelps (D-Flushing) are unhappy with the way the governor has handled this crisis, and have requested federal assistance.

The Minority Leader outlined a possible emergency funding plan for the city. In his plan, he recommends transferring available funding in the current budget between departments that can provide filters and distribute bottled water, draft a supplemental budget bill so that existing programs could be broadened to expand health and educational programs, speed up infrastructure improvements, help provide access to healthy food, home visit programs, and the Great Start and Early On Programs; refunding the $2 million Flint paid to switch to Detroit water, and commit to long-term funding during the State of the State speech.

The Governor also announced that he is open to a federal investigation into this situation. He remains firm that he was unaware of the situation until around October 1^st.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, January 15, 2016 1:33 PM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

This Week's Newsletter

Past Newsletters