Five governors have joined a bipartisan majority of Senate and House lawmakers opposed to provider tax cuts. A pending White House proposal would reduce by 50% the ability of states to use these levies to generate additional federal Medicaid revenues.

Governors Haley Barbour (R-MS), Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), John Corzine (D-NJ), Phil Bredesen (D-TN) and Robert Taft (R-OH) warned Bush that slashing Medicaid would hurt their states’ populations of seniors, people in intermediate care facilities and those with mental disabilities.

They join 301 U.S. representatives and 51 U.S. senators who have objected to the Medicaid plan. Bush proposes a five-year $12.2 billion cut to the Medicaid programs.