Well, they are back in full swing and introducing scores and scores of bills--some important publc policies, some politics as usual bills and some bills to take care of business back home. Some serious and some silly.
Everyone thinks they know what the legislature should do first in 2009 and the Republicans and the Democrats have a set of priorities that are very different.
So here are a few things that might be priorities for our state, for the Governor and for the state legislature--this is not to say that there are not other serious and silly bills that should get done, but this list is a start of what they might consider for the future of our state:
--Fix our tax system: ranging from going to a graduated income tax (from our current flat tax), sales tax reform (add taxable items, add services tax?) to business/corporate tax reform--incentives, loop holes, Michigan Business Tax Surcharge, etc.. The tax system is out of date and unable to support our state budget. Most agree that it needs review, amendment and reform. So start "it" now. If the legislaturae can't do it then put reforms on the ballot for the people to decide in 2009. At the same time we need a very close examination of our state budget and what we can afford to keep and what we cannot afford to give up--tied to what we must cut.
--Energy reforms: solar, wind, coal, wood--we are behind other states and we need to decide what we can and can't do as a state. If we are to eliminate coal or limit its use we have to make sure we can support what is left of our manufacturing sector and make sure that we do not do something that causes energy shortages for citizens. Provide for incentives for installation of wind and solar and to make the utilities offer citizens good rates for taking some of this power back onto their grid.
--Lobbying, special interest and campaign spending reforms: Michigan's laws in all these areas are outdated and need immediate attention. Transparency is important and we should hold elected officials responsible for their violations of these acts--not just lobbyists and special interest leaders.
--Major corrections reforms: in comparison to the other Great Lakes states we imprison a third more prisoners, our corrections costs are approximately one third higher and our costs are about one third or more higher. That is not good fiscal policy, it is not good corrections or civil liberties policy and it is just plain dumb. We are spending almost as much on corrections as we are on higher education. In fact we give universities between $4000 and 9,000 per full time equated student and we spend over $32,000 per prisoner for the priviledge of housing them in our state. Crime rates don't seem any lower in Michigan do they?
State pension reform: every review of our pension system gives the state the same warning--you are headed for trouble and you have a system that you cannot afford with the revenue you have coming in to your state coffers. Legislators need to look at moving teacher retirement pensions to a defined contributions system and also look at retirement and health benefits for public employees (not just teachers, but all state employees, including elected officials).
Term limits will make the above reforms more difficult but the legislature and the governor have a responsibility to move our state ahead and get our laws and the economy reformed to meet the new challenges our nation and state will face in the next few years. Stimulus bills not withstanding, they cannot ignore these big systemic issues.
What else should be on the "urgent" list?
While we are thinking of what the legislature should do this year, and the huge task ahead, consider the bill introduced by Rep. LaBlanc: a law to designate an official state tartan. Hmmmm. I knew there was something we needed and left off the list!!!
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Term limits do seem to be a problem. Won't it be tought to get that overturned though?
ReplyDeleteAlternative energy, Environmental(Great Lakes) protection and the corrections system are the biggest three that I see having to deal with, other than the economy of course. We need to get away from our dependence on foreign oil and the pollutions caused by burning coal is something fierce. The five magnificent Great Lakes are our future. They need protection just like the citizens of the state. I mean we cannot image living next to a giant cesspool can we? As for convicts soaking the state for all its worth, I believe the days of that should be over. Prison is supposed to be what? Rehabilitation?, not so by our current day situation. I say bring back chain gangs and prison farms, to hell with bums sleeping in a cell, living better than i do, i mean im trying to do the world some good here, they already had their chance and screwed it up!
ReplyDeleteTo me one of the most important things that the legislature must face is alternative energy sources. We cannot go on polluting the earth, and to be every little bit helps. I don't quite understand the pension part of this article. Pension for people who work for the government cannot be cut. These people don't make that much money to begin with ie teachers.
ReplyDeleteI'm writing in response to WOLFE. I agree with you that we need to get away from using foriegn oil and develop ways to make it here in the US. I do think that some people to rehabilitate themselves in jail, but I know a lot probably don't. I guess I think everyone deserves a second chance, whether that is to better themselves in jail or on the outside. I don't think though, that murderers and rapists should get a second chance. They should lock them up and throw away the key!
ReplyDeleteWhat astounds me is that we pay so much for prisoner wellbeing. It is wrong to pay so much for criminals (people who have committed crimes) to eat, sleep, and be housed. It’s almost like we are rewarding them. I bet the state gives more money to prisoners than they do welfare recipients; many of whom work their asses off, and they are the ones who really get punished and live in poverty? That doesn’t seem fair at all. Maybe the reason Michigan has so many more prisoners than other states is that we have better “free” healthcare and housing for all free loading prisoners. I also think that drug offenders serving time in prison should be released. It’s a non violent crime- they don’t need to do time.
ReplyDeleteI think another thing Michigan should put on its "urgent" list is helping out the auto industry. I believe one of the main reason for the state of Detroit right now is because the auto industry is collapsing.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of these urgent issues have become michigan legislative priorities because of michigan's hurting economy. But of all these urgent issues, I think that the major corrections reforms will be the easiest and most beneficial to change. As far as reducing our prisoner count by at least 1/3 in our state, I think we should start with harmless marijuana offenders. To do this, I think we should decriminalize marijuana and release those imprisoned for it. This would GREATLY reduce our prisoner count, keep it there, and save us millions upon millions of dollars. Our country currently has 13 states with marijuana decriminalized. Michigan already took the first step with medicinal marijuana, now we just need to take one more for decriminalization.
ReplyDeleteWhat's missing from this urgent list you asked? Education, duh! I remember very clearly the crappy schools I went to; there were the underpaid and over-worked teachers, no art program, drastic cuts in the foreign language department, and so much more. I know not all of you went to falling apart schools, so it is hard for you to understand. Kids need to feel happy and secure in their schools, otherwise well, they won't go. This leads me to another point that was mentioned in the article, so kids with an education are more likely to stay out of trouble at out of prison. So how can we reduce prison population? By education. It's not a cure all, but it will help. We also need to get GED programs back into the prisons so people can actually make it in the real world and not wind up in jail again, like we talked about in class.
ReplyDeletein response to mike b. I wonder how you would help out the auto industry exactly? Ya Detroit is falling apart because of the collapsing auto industry. But you cannot make people buy American made cars. Toyota and Honda are better quality and for the most part, get better MPG. People are going to buy what they want, and well people like foreign/Japanese made cars.
ReplyDeleteThe state legislature should review and oversee environmental regulations that aren't needed or don't work. This could in turn help the state become more of a business friendly state.
ReplyDeletein response to msemo, I agree that to some extent strengthening our school systems would help reduce crime("trouble") and possibly lower our state prisoner population. But i think that it would have a very minor effect that would give no immediate results. I think the best solution to reducing the prisoner population would be to pass legislation in the near future that proposes to decriminalize marijuana in Michigan.
ReplyDeleteMichigan needs tax reform badly, the system in place now is not creating enough revenue because it is not taxing the right places. Right now business's are paying too much into employee health care, part of the reason why so many are going bankrupt. We need a base national health plan, where employers could add to the plan as incentives and to retain employees. Small businesses would have a break and large businesses should have an increased tax.
ReplyDeleteIn response to ashley, I agree that Michigan, and for that matter every state, should start increasing budgeting and research for alternative energy resources. Some good ones that come to mind are ethanol (E85) gasoline, wind power, and bio diesel. Not only will this help alleviate our dependency on foreign oil, it could also create new jobs.
ReplyDeleteMichigan corrections should work to streamline their operations. I read that corrections spending has grown 538% in the last 34 years. With Michigan's budget in dire need of retooling, I think a logical first step would be to take a hard look at our prisons.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the average prisoner in Michigan spends 14 months longer than the average prisoner in any other great lakes state. We should pay closer attention to parole, ensuring that low-risk offenders aren't locked away for a period of time that is disproportionate to the crime committed.
Secondly, I think that a rewards system should be instated, which would offer inmates credits for receiving a GED or Associates Degree while in prison. This would increase the inmate's chances of success when he is released.
There are a lot of other suggestions made for reforming the corrections system in Michigan. I suggest checking out www.detroitchamber.com and looking at the article titled "Reforming Michigan's Corrections System."
Michigan is ranked the worst state in the union, economically; has been for a while. Just over two years ago, Governor Granholm said she would “blow us away.” Look where we are now. I believe that the issues concerning the economy of Michigan should be voted for on the next ballot, such as corrections reform and a graduated income tax. I do however feel strongly about the corrections reform. It is absolutely absurd and ridiculous that a prison, a “law-breaker,” a deviant of society, get almost four times the finding than a student. I know that will never change, so maybe we should look at other options like early release for non-violent offenders, white-collar criminals, and marijuana offenders. Something must be done, and I feel that a lot of economic relief can come from Michigan’s prisons.
ReplyDelete