Nobody will be arrested for ‘mind-boggling’ mistake

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder ran for re-election as a numbers man.

“I’m an accountant. I’ve found I can help more people when the numbers add up,” he explained in a political ad.

Not easy in a state still dealing with the collapse of the auto industry.

Flint was one of nine Michigan cities put under the control of state-appointed emergency managers whose job it was to cut pay and cut services to make those numbers add up. And Flint’s emergency manager found that switching the city’s water system to a cheaper source would save $5 million over two years.

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According to a spokesman for the Flint Water Study, the city found another way to save money: There was no scientific study done.

Mind boggling, but it worked. The State of Michigan expects to show a budget surplus this year of $575 million. Which is good, because the cost of saving that $5 million in Flint will be pretty steep. It’s already cost $6 million to switch the water back, fixing the damaged pipes could hit $1.5 billion. And according to one doctor, those thousands of children with lead poisoning: “These children will be injured for life.”

I asked Siddhartha Roy of the Flint Water Study if he thinks someone ought to be arrested for this.

“This is criminal, yes,” he said.

But I’m guessing that won’t happen. State officials were just doing their jobs &#8212 making sure the numbers add up. And jail time is expensive.