What does the rating agency Standard & Poor's have in common with the Cass Avenue bridge over Interstate 75 in Detroit? Both offered up cold doses of reality for a Michigan Legislature facing tough decisions about how to balance the state budget and provide critical services. Nearly two months have passed since Democratic Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm proposed the idea of raising taxes. While Republicans eagerly shot down her specific proposal, they have yet to demonstrate how they intend to balance the state's books and invest in its future… How Michigan treats its finances is similar to how it treats its roads. Not only were road improvements of recent years made with borrowed money, the construction has in many cases simply borrowed time with thin layers of asphalt.