Michigan Legislature's Priorities

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 The tax system is out of date and unable to support our state budget.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--Lobbying, special interest and campaign spending reforms: Michigan's laws in all these areas are outdated and need immediate attention.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!!!