Democrats vote to reject Borton’s dam amendments, among others

State Rep. Ken Borton on Tuesday led an effort to amend the Department of Natural Resources budget to better address the needs of rural Michigan. Borton and Rep. Greg Alexander, the only other committee Republican, offered a series of amendments during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural Resources meeting Tuesday morning. The Democrat majority on the committee rejected each proposal.

“Even when Democrats refuse to listen, we have a responsibility to ensure our rural communities have their voices heard during the budget process,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “We weren’t asking for anything radical, just a few dam amendments and protections for little old ladies feeding the birds.”

Amendments made by Borton and Alexander included $1 million for dam repairs on state-owned lands; $600,000 for Sportsmen Against Hunger, a nonprofit that processes and donates venison to local food banks; $1.5 million to rebuild Cornwall Flooding dam in Cheboygan County; $2.5 million for the Manistee and AuSable Rivers Fish Habitat restoration; and $100,000 for Monitor Township Park.

They also sought to eliminate more than $5.5 million in unnecessary government spending.

“It was very disappointing to see Democrats universally reject our proposals,” Borton said. “When there are only two Republicans allowed on important budgeting committees, we do our best to represent rural communities across Michigan. Our amendments were thoughtfully crafted to best represent the needs of people and wildlife throughout our state.”

Borton and Alexander also proposed changes to policy language within the budget, including encouraging United States Department of Agriculture deer harvests in bovine tuberculosis areas; timber marking reporting; snowmobile law enforcement grants for county sheriffs; marine safety grants for county sheriffs; deer harvest check stations for Chronic Wasting Disease; and increased protections for residents using backyard birdfeeders.

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