A View from the Capitol: Time to Listen

From My Desk in the House

As a new legislator, I am often impressed by the sheer number of people that write and visit representative offices. It is heartening to see so many residents take an interest in the legislative process. As elected representatives, we should embrace this lively democracy, and treat everyone respectfully.

When groups of union members visited the Capitol in force recently, some legislators chose to lock their offices and avoid contact. Though these visits caused disruption to my scheduled appointments, I chose to speak with as many people as possible who visited my office. 

We may not always agree, but we should listen to one another and engage in a constructive debate of the issues to come to the best result. Though we are each most concerned about those matters that affect us personally, my challenge is to take a big picture view of the issues. As I consider legislation, I must consider how that legislation will affect all stakeholder groups, including the average taxpayer.

Property Tax Forum

On Feb. 28 we hosted our first town hall meeting, and what a surprise it was to have well more than 200 people come out to learn about property taxes. I would like to thank Harrison Township Assessor Carole Ryan, St. Clair Shores Assessor Bob Rychlik and Macomb County Equalization Director Steve Mellen for sharing their expertise at this meeting.

Homeowners can make the best decision about whether it makes sense to appeal their property assessment once the assessment process is transparent to them. Most people find that their properties were assessed correctly once they understand the established rules regarding home sales analysis. 

A few years ago, people were really concerned when they found out that due to how Proposal A works, their property taxes could sometimes go up when their property values were going down. Now the primary concern has been about retaining the value on your residence, the largest investment for most folks. The good news is the real estate market is bottoming out, and should rebound slowly starting in 2013. 

The bad news is foreclosures in Macomb County are up 33 percent to 1 in 39 properties. This indicates the level of economic distress for many of our residents, and puts the fire under us in the Legislature to have a laser focus on policies that will attract and promote job creation. 

Please remember if you are not satisfied with the outcome of a property assessment appeal at the local level, you have until July 31, 2011, to file an appeal with the Michigan State Tax Tribunal. For more information on property tax assessments, a publication can be downloaded at my website.

Revenue Sharing Dilemma

During my time as Harrison Township supervisor, we struggled with reductions in revenue sharing from state government. As you may be aware, there are two portions of revenue sharing—constitutional and statutory. Historically, the statutory portion of revenue sharing has been distributed using a weighted formula that rewards cities with higher local taxes and dwindling populations. A legislative deal was cut in the 1990's that resulted in the city of Detroit receiving 60 percent of all statutory revenue sharing in spite of having only 10 percent of the state population.

The amount of revenue sharing your community receives directly impacts the services you receive from your local government. It has been my belief that people vote with their feet, and their revenue sharing dollars should follow them where they move. 

I introduced House Bill 4257 on Feb. 15 to distribute all statutory revenue sharing on a per capita basis. Sen. Tory Rocca has the identical legislation in Senate Bill 90.  Revenue fairness for Macomb County communities is a top priority of mine. Therefore, this is fitting legislation for my first bill introduction.

Of course, Gov. Snyder's budget proposal includes no statutory revenue sharing, so we’ve now learned that my bill may not be relevant in its current form. However, the governor has proposed a $200 million fund in lieu of traditional statutory revenue sharing that local communities can compete for based on "best practices." We expect an announcement later this month of what metrics will be used to determine these "best practices," which are likely to include service consolidations and employee compensation cost containment measures.

Ultimately, the goal must be to have fairness to Macomb County communities in revenue sharing. 

Macomb County's Natural Resources

On Feb. 23, 2011, the Appropriations Committee voted to allocate $101.2 million from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) to projects throughout the state. Macomb County only got a $70,000 project with the Nicholson Nature Center, located on the North Branch of the Clinton River. I voted “no” on this bill in protest of the low funding Macomb County has historically received, even though we are the third-most populous county in Michigan. In comparison, in this appropriation we received only $70,000 while Wayne County received a whopping $36 million.

MNRTF provides financial assistance to local units of government and to the Department of Natural Resources for the purchase of lands for outdoor recreation, for protection of natural resources and open space, and for development of land for public outdoor recreation. It is supported with revenues from state-owned oil and gas minerals.

While some legislators are considering constitutional changes to divert these funds to other uses, I support protecting this fund for its intended purposes. However, I am working to see that Macomb County has a better chance of receiving these funds in the grant application process, which ends April 1, 2011, for consideration in the 2012 budget cycle. Residents of suburban areas deserve equitable opportunities for recreational enhancement in their own backyards, not just when they head up north for recreation.

Protecting Young Adults

In my youth, the statistics for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were 1 in 36.  Recently I heard a staggering statistic on Frank Beckmann’s WJR radio show. With 1 in 3 students now contracting an STD, it made me wonder what direction our youth are heading in. As the parent of three college age children, I know we must continue to send a strong message to our kids on abstinence and not avoid those tough parenting topics.

This frightening statistic caused me to remark, "One out of three high school girls have an STD ... even Russian roulette gives you better odds of not catching a bullet!"

Having been in Lansing a short time, it was a bit of a coup when my remark was posted at the ‘'quote of the day” in the Lansing legislative MIRS newsletter. While some found this statement controversial, I stand by my concern for the protection of our teens.

On that note, I introduced House Bill 4393 on March 3 to provide what is known as "medical amnesty" for a minor who has consumed alcohol to:

• Seek medical treatment.
• Accompany an individual who has consumed alcohol to seek medical treatment.
• Initiate contact with a peace officer or emergency medical services personnel for the purpose of obtaining medical assistance.

Under the current law, minors are discouraged from seeking medical treatment for themselves or others who may have consumed a dangerous amount of alcohol in order to avoid “minor in possession” charges. Many students have had serious health problems or died on college campuses as a result.

A Michigan State University student approached me with this model legislation, which has been developed at campuses throughout the nation. While we must avoid condoning alcohol use among minors, we should not allow a youthful mistake to result in serious harm because young adults are afraid to seek assistance. In a show of bipartisan support, 15 of my fellow representatives have co-sponsored the bill.

CFL Bulb Warning

CFL bulbs are a great energy saver, but now that they are in widespread use, we are hearing reports of some fire hazard potential with some bulbs. To protect your household, you should inspect the base of any CFL and see if there is an indication that show discoloring (tan or brown). This may be a sign that the bulb base is overheating.

Please do not dispose of these bulbs in your regular waste. CFL lightbulbs can be disposed of as part of the Macomb County Health Department's Hazardous Waste Program. Find more information on disposing of these and other hazardous materials at:  http://www.macombcountymi.gov/publichealth. 

The next hazardous waste collection day is 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. March 25 at the Macomb County Health Department, located at 43525 Elizabeth Rd.

Purchase of Michigan Recreation Passport Grows

What better way to tour Michigan than with an all-access pass to state parks, recreation areas and boating sites? That's the idea behind the Michigan Recreation Passport Program which began last October. Since the first month of the program, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has seen a steady rise in resident purchases.

The Michigan Recreation Passport can be purchased while renewing your Michigan license plates for a cost of only $10 ($5 for motorcycles). Non-residents can also purchase an annual permit for $29. Proceeds from each purchase go toward the infrastructure and maintenance of our state parks and public recreation areas.

Information about the Recreation Passport can also be obtained online at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport, or by calling the information line at (517) 241-7275.

March Is Reading Month

To celebrate “March is Reading Month,” I will be visiting our local elementary schools to read to students. Thank you to the principals and reading specialists of our schools for allowing me to share the gift of reading with the children of our district. 

Be Part of the Solution

As the details of Gov. Snyder's budget plan are now public, many residents have been contacting my office with questions and concerns.

Please note that the governor's proposals are as new to the Legislature as they are to you. Gov. Snyder's plan outlines major reforms to the structure of Michigan's budget, and I am committed to giving each suggestion full consideration. I remain open to these and other ideas in the interest of enacting a budget that best provides for current and future residents of our great state.

My focus as I consider any budget proposal is the effect it may have on job creation. This was my promise when I ran for this office, and it remains my commitment today.

I invite you to be part of the solution. The Governor has made a proposal that will balance the state’s budget and promote job creation. For each suggestion we make to lessen or eliminate a proposed budget cut, an alternative cut must be made. For every suggestion that a tax credit should not be eliminated, we must find an alternative source to raise revenue or make additional cuts. What would you eliminate and what revenue would you add to assure we approve a balanced budget?

There are no easy solutions to this inherited budget crisis. We are facing a budget deficit of up to $1.8 billion. The Governor has proposed a budget of “shared sacrifice” that affects all Michigan residents and all state departments. Michigan is constitutionally required to balance its budget. 

I welcome your thoughtful input as we work though this difficult budget process.