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Tom George's plan to Fix Michigan

This campaign is all about bringing jobs back to Michigan.  Tom knows state government is not going to create the million jobs Michigan has lost, but state government shapes the environment that can lead to jobs growth.  These are the steps needed to make an environment conducive to bringing jobs back to Michigan.

Reform state programs

1. Just like GM and Chrysler were spending more on health care than on steel prior to their bankruptcies, health care spending has become the single biggest expense within the state's budget.  This explosion of health care spending has failed to make Michigan healthier and has diverted resources away from priorities such as public safety, education, and infrastructure investment.  Currently Medicaid and health care programs for public employees fail to incorporate personal responsibility into their designs.  The next governor needs to make recipients partners in maintaining their health, not merely recipients of health care services.  Read more SCR34 SR117 Video statement

2. Make education once again the top priority of state government.  For decades, education had been Michigan's top priority, but for the last three budget cycles, education spending has been surpassed by spending on health care.  Structural reforms can help direct more dollars to the classroom. K-12 School Reforms  SB1073  SB1074

3. Reform state energy policy to give Michigan a diversified energy portfolio which is affordable and reliable.  This involves approving both the construction of new clean coal fired generator plants and new nuclear facilities.  Statement

Fix the budgeting process

4. Fix Michigan's broken budgeting process.  The state constitution requires that the legislature pass a balanced budget, however, the legislature, and the governor have found a way to evade this stipulation during the budgeting process.  The governor has repeatedly proposed, and the state house has repeatedly passed budgets that are not balanced.  New budgeting rules need to be adopted that hold the governor and each chamber of the legislature to separately account for all required revenue sources when authorizing expenditures.  Read more  SCR21  Video statement

5. Be ready to help draft a new constitution.  In 2010 voters will be asked to decide if Michigan needs a new constitution.  If our economy continues to deteriorate, the likelihood that a call for a constitutional convention will be approved by voters increases.  The next governor would then have an opportunity to advocate for certain provisions and to campaign for or against adoption of a new constitution.  Large, structural questions such as the make-up of the legislature, term limits, a part-time legislature, the role of local government, etc. would all be up for review.  External links: Video 1   Video 2   EnergizeMichigan.com  Interview with Constitutional Convention Delegate Eugene Wanger  Interview with Mark Harvey, State Archive of Michigan  Interview with Glenn S. Allen, Jr.

6. Fight for Michigan's fair share of federal funding.  Despite being at the epicenter of the nation's economic recession, Michigan has been a donor state to the stimulus package.  Our next governor needs to work with our federal legislators to get us a better deal when it comes to federal funding for roads, Medicaid, and defense spending.  SCR 32  SR106  Statement on SR106 Statement on SR 32 and SCR 106

Create a culture of competitiveness

7. Eliminate the Michigan Business Tax surcharge.  Either by reforming social spending or with new revenue generated as the economy improves, the next governor will need to phase out Michigan's onerous MBT surcharge.  Senate Bill 1

8. Allow judicious use of our natural resources.  Michigan can participate once again in iron, metal, and timber production without endangering the great lakes or other natural resources through the application of modern, scientific harvesting techniques.  The next governor must allow reasonable access to our natural resources.

9. Make government more efficient by reducing the number of departments, simplifying the permitting process for businesses, and creating incentives for local governments to share services. Senate Bill 1075

10. Create a Detroit / Wayne County Redevelopment Authority.  Other major U.S. cities have been rebuilt using redevelopment authorities.  The state needs to give the City of Detroit and Wayne County the ability to form a redevelopment authority with broad powers to turn vacant land and abandoned properties to new use. Read more  OpEd in the Detroit News  OpEd in the Free Press SB979   SB978   SB1015   SB1016   SB1017  Motor City Blight Busters press conference

 

Additional items of interest

Reforming state programs

State Senator Tom George, MD (20th District, R-Kalamazoo) held a public hearing at the Wayne State University School of Medicine on his MI Health legislative proposals that seek to address the uninsured population.

A statement I made on the Senate floor after the governor issued a directive overturning a recommendation of her own CON (certificate of need) commission

My response to the governor's accusation that Medicaid cuts mean "that people will die."

A criticism of the governor's decision to dismantle the Library of Michigan and the State Museum in order to save a minor amount of money while the state is being driven to bankruptcy by runaway social program spending.

Fixing The Budget Process

A statement I made in support of my Senate Resoluton 6, asking Congress to tie the federal stimulus package to the unemployment rate, which would have sent Michigan additional federal funding.

Creating a culture of competitveness

A statement I wrote in support of my Senate Resolution 13 asking the governor to negotiate to make President's Day a work day.

More on SR13 : Mackinac Center: Presidential Privileges - Senators refuse to stand up to state workers’ perks

George Weeks: Senator Tom George proposes Redevelopment Authority

Oakland Press: Landbanks on candidate's agenda

Historical Preservation

Zachariah Chandler and Gerald Ford

Lincoln Comes to Michigan, as seen in Michigan History Magazine

An overview of Lincoln's connections to Michigan, given on the 200th anniversary of his birth.