State Rep. Tom Kuhn, R-Troy, today issued the following statement after the state House approved transparency legislation mandated by voters with the passage of Proposal 1 in November 2022. While Kuhn supported the legislation as a first step, he emphasized that more must be done to restore citizens’ confidence in state government.

“Since assuming office in January 2023, I’ve been shocked by the lack of transparency and openness in state government.

“From secret $82 billion state budgets and hundreds of millions spent on supplementals to hiding the financial connections between special interests and legislators, the running of the state has been deliberately designed to keep average citizens in the dark, while enriching the powerful and well-connected.

“I have authored legislation to bring real openness to Michigan’s appropriations process. I’m proud that 44 House reformers have co-sponsored my bills.

“As for the legislation requiring legislators to provide greater disclosure of their personal finances, the bill package offers the bare minimum of reforms mandated by Proposal 1. Dozens of amendments to put real teeth in these bills were voted down by a House majority vested in maintaining the status quo.

“It should escape no one’s notice that these bills were passed in the middle of the night. So even under the guise of providing a modicum of transparency, the process remained opaque.

“These bills cannot be the last word on transparency; they must be an opening statement, a beginning of a process toward greater transparency and a restoration of citizens’ confidence in state government and their elected leaders.”

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