News Release
Senator for the 20th District
TOM GEORGE
State Capitol / Lansing, Michigan 48913
PH (517) 373.0793 / FAX (517) 373.5607
www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/senator/george/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2003

Contact:  Sherry Sofia
(517) 373-0793

George Amendment Bans FIA Billboards

Reduces Wasteful Spending

Senator Tom George successfully inserted an amendment today into the Family Independence Agency budget, which would prohibit the agency from spending money on billboards.  According to department records, the FIA has contracted with Adams Outdoor Advertising for over $872,000 worth of billboards.  The billboards appear throughout the state and carry messages such as:  "Helping with family matters because family matters," and, "A child's safety is everyone's business."

"The money could be better spent than on these feel good billboards," George said.  "Here we are faced with cutting funding for important services such as health care and education, while the state is putting up these useless billboards that don’t say anything."

The amended bill has been reported out of subcommittee and will next be reviewed by the Appropriations Committee as a whole before being sent to the Senate for consideration.