Gov. Rick Snyder vowed to do everything in his power to solve the Flint water crisis, asking legislators for $28 million to fund a series of immediate actions.
He also apologized for the crisis during his annual State of the State speech Tuesday night. You heard it on WJR.
The Republican governor has become a lightning rod for criticism because the crisis unfolded under the state’s watch.
“To begin, I’d like to address the people of Flint. Your families face a crisis, a crisis you did not create and could not have prevented,” Snyder said. “I am sorry and I will fix it.”
The additional money would go to help fund the following, the governor said:
Bottled water, filters, replacement filters;
Assistance to Flint to help with utility-related issues;
Testing and replacing fixtures in schools and other high-risk locations;
Treatment of children with high lead levels;
Services for the treatment of potential behavioral health issues;
Support for children and adolescent health centers;
An infrastructure integrity study for pipes and connections.
Snyder spoke about the long-term consequences of the crisis, saying the $28 million request won’t be the last budget request for Flint.
He also released a detailed timeline of steps officials have taken already and announced he will be releasing his 2014 and 2015 emails related to the crisis.
“No citizen of this great state should endure this kind of catastrophe. Government failed you — federal, state and local leaders — by breaking the trust you placed in us,” Snyder said.
“You deserve better. You deserve accountability. You deserve to know that the buck stops here with me. Most of all, you deserve to know the truth.”