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BISHOP TO GRANHOLM: MAKE TAX PLANS PUBLIC Governor Jennifer Granholm <http://www.gongwer.com/index.cfm?link=bio.cfm&nameid=6701&locid=1> should make public the proposals she has made in private negotiations to raise revenue, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop <http://www.gongwer.com/index.cfm?link=bio.cfm&nameid=17501&locid=1> (R-Rochester) said Wednesday. Mr. Bishop declined to identify the proposals Ms. Granholm had made in meetings she has held with legislative leaders as they seek an agreement on a 2009-10 fiscal year budget. He said it was Ms. Granholm's proposal and she should be the one to reveal it. "The public needs to know what the options are," Mr. Bishop told reporters. Noting that the Republican-led Senate passed a budget with about $1.2 billion in cuts, Mr. Bishop said it is incumbent on Ms. Granholm to reveal her revised plan so residents and interest groups can weigh the alternatives. Although Ms. Granholm offered a budget recommendation in February, available revenues have plummeted since then to create a $2.7 billion combined general fund and School Aid Fund shortfall. When federal stimulus money is included, the deficit drops to under $2 billion. Ms. Granholm and the legislative quadrant is expected to meet again on Thursday, Mr. Bishop said. But Mr. Bishop also said the meetings are nothing like the ones leading up the 2007 budget stalemate that led to a temporary shutdown of state government. "We've learned from what happened in the past," he said. "We are in a position to close this deal before the budget deadline." Granholm press secretary Liz Boyd said Ms. Granholm preferred to keep the proposals she has made private during this phase of discussions. "If something is deemed not acceptable to the parties, we're not certain how much value there is in having a public discussion about it," she said. Airing proposals now could jeopardize reaching an agreement, Ms. Boyd said. "I think the public does want to know, but I think the public wants the situation resolved," Ms. Boyd said. The sides have agreed to keep the negotiations private, and Republicans should honor that agreement, Ms. Boyd said. However, Mr. Bishop said he thought keeping the discussions private two years ago helped contribute to the shutdown. Like Mr. Bishop, Ms. Boyd voiced optimism about a solution. "I think we're on our way to resolving this budget deficit," she said.