e-Newsletter, March 17, 2009
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
In this section I hope to provide you a brief update on legislation of interest that has either been voted on or introduced recently in the Michigan State Senate.
Recently Passed Legislation in the Senate:
Senate Bill 151: The bill would amend the Public Health Code to provide for the licensure of physical therapist assistants (PTAs). The legislation received unanimous support from the Senate.
Senate Bill 191: The bill would amend the Income Tax Act to increase the household income ceiling for the homestead property tax credit by $10,000; increase the total credit that a taxpayer may claim from $1,200 to $1,300; and allow an additional $50 credit for senior citizens and totally and permanently disabled taxpayers.
Recently Introduced Legislation in the Senate:
Senate Bill 353 – This legislation would authorize local units of government to fingerprint applicants or licensees in certain occupations for the purpose of receiving criminal history record information from the department of state police and the federal bureau of investigation.
Senate Bill 355 – This bill would provide for the individual licensing and regulation of home inspectors. Establishing standards and a process of officially licensing home inspectors will go a long way toward ensuring that homeowners are provided with accurate and professional home inspection services.
JOB STRATEGIES TOWN HALL MEETING A SUCCESS
Last week, I hosted a town hall meeting in Livonia alongside state and local officials to discuss job strategies during these tough economic times with workers and job seekers. The meeting included presentations by officials who also allowed attendees the opportunity to meet on an individual basis to discuss their specific situation and what services and assistance is available to them.
With over 200 attendees, this was a great opportunity to discuss the effects of the economic downturn on the working men and women of our communities. I was pleased by the eagerness to learn about the opportunities available displayed by those in attendance. Though times are without question very difficult right now, the positive attitudes and work ethics of those I met are characteristics that have made our region so successful in the past and soon will again. I will continue to do my part in the senate to purse every possible effort to bring jobs and economic growth to Michigan.
To view a short video about the town hall meeting, please visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc06xQHjd8A.
To read more about the town hall meeting, please visit my website: http://www.senate.mi.gov/anderson/pr.php?id=1236.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT A PLAN REQUIRING MORTGAGE COMPANIES TO ALLOW HOMEOWNERS FACED WITH FORECLOSURE AN ADDITIONAL 90 DAYS TO NEGOTIATE A WAY TO KEEP THEIR HOMES?
Last week, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a package of legislation aimed to stem the tide of foreclosures in our state. Any homeowner who commits to working with their lender and with government counselors cannot be foreclosed upon for at least 90 days to allow all sides to make arrangements to avoid foreclosure.
I invite you to visit my website and participate in my current survey question on whether you support this proposal. I welcome you to click on the link below and share your thoughts on my current survey.
http://www.senate.mi.gov/anderson
It is extremely important for me to hear what you think about issues in the Michigan Legislature. Every two weeks, I post a new survey question on my website to receive your input on some of the issues facing our state. Most recently, I asked readers whether they supported the Hire Michigan First package which would give preference in bidding for state contracts to businesses that employ Michigan residents. Voter's responded with 87% in favor of the proposal, 10% opposed, and 3% undecided.
INSURANCE TOWN HALL SLATED FOR APRIL 13TH
On Monday, April 13th, I will be joined by officials from the Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation as well as the State Insurance Advocate for a town hall to educate and inform citizens regarding their rights and methods which can produce savings and better results when dealing with insurance companies.
The Insurance Town Hall will be held on April 13th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at:
Don Hubert VFW Post 345
27345 Schoolcraft
Redford, MI 48239
(Just east of Inkster Rd.)
For more information please feel free to contact my office (866) 262-7306 or by email: senatoranderson@senate.mi.gov.
EXPANDING ABSENTEE VOTING
Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues in a vote to allow Michigan residents greater access to the democratic process. However, the effort to pass legislation that would allow any registered voter to vote by absentee ballot to increase voter access and participation was blocked by Republican members in the Senate.
Current law allows for voters to vote absentee only under very narrow circumstances. This reform would benefit many; making this opportunity more readily available to those who may have difficulty making time to vote while juggling child care, long and unpredictable hours at work, as well as students who attend school away from home.
Twenty-eight states currently have no reason absentee voting legislation, with three additional states permitting in person voting prior to Election Day. In Michigan, it has the support of Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson, Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh and other city and municipal clerks around Michigan, the ACLU, the NAACP, AARP, and current and past state legislators from both chambers and both sides of the aisle.
ONE-STOP WEBSITE FOR VETERANS EDUCATION BENEFITS AT MICHIGAN UNIVERSITIES UP AND RUNNING
In January, I introduced a proposal that would create a one-stop-shop website for Michigan veterans exploring the options offered by Michigan’s institutions of higher learning. Policies have been implemented at many of Michigan’s universities to streamline the admissions process and offer important assistance as servicemen and women transition to life in the classroom. However, information about the programs offered had been difficult to find, scattered on the 15 institutions’ individual websites.
Following my recommendation, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Department of Information Technology launched this new feature under the “State Universities Veterans Information” tab located on the left-hand menu at http://www.michigan.gov/veterans. This website will help streamline and secure access to all the resources veterans need to make a smooth transition to the classroom and to their future.
To read more about this initiative, visit my website: http://www.senate.mi.gov/anderson/pr.php?id=1230.
“MICHIGAN BUSINESS ONE STOP” UNVEILED
At the beginning of March, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm unveiled Michigan Business One Stop, a one-of-its-kind program that reforms the way companies will now do business with the state of Michigan. As the governor called for in her 2008 State of the State address, the program provides more than 650,000 businesses across Michigan with a single source for government information and services they need.
Michigan Business One Stop is an online service that guides users who want to start, operate or expand a business in Michigan. Business owners can apply for or renew permits and licenses, file annual reports and pay unemployment taxes, or any other fees they are subject to under state law. Information is shared across state departments with one, easy e-payment system, and the site provides businesses information about transaction status in a new, paperless environment. This website will serve as a convenient source for businesses throughout Michigan and as a useful guide for those who are looking to relocate to the state.
Michigan Business One Stop can be found at http://www.michigan.gov/business.
IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO REDFORD’S BELL CREEK PARK
Recently, the Michigan Senate voted unanimously in favor of the 2009-10 Supplemental Capital Outlay budget, giving the green light to important Department of Military Affairs and Natural Resources Trust Fund development projects.
Redford Township's Bell Creek Park will see important improvements which will allow residents greater access to this valuable community space. The construction of an elevated boardwalk across the floodplain of the Bell Branch of the Rouge River as well as a bicycle/pedestrian bridge spanning the waterway have been funded as part of Senate Bill 322.
SB 322 also approved three Federal Military Construction Program projects at Camp Grayling in northern Michigan. The three projects will be entirely federally funded and will improve vital training facilities including an infantry squad battle and urban assault courses.
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I was pleased to be able to help secure this great recreational project for Redford residents. Redford Township officials are to be congratulated on their submission of this project which will further enhance the quality of life in Redford.
MICHIGAN EARNS TOP THREE SPOT IN GLOBAL PUBLICATION RANKING FROM NEW CORPORATE FACILITIES AND EXPANSIONS
Site Selection magazine, whose business rankings are regarded as the industry scorecard by corporate site selection and real estate analysts, has named Michigan the No. 3 state in the nation for major new corporate facilities and expansions in 2008. Michigan climbed four spots since the publication of the 2007 rankings.
Site Selection also recognized Detroit-Warren-Livonia metro area as the No. 5 metro area with a population of one million or more for new and expanded corporate facilities. The publication verified nearly 300 qualifying projects in Michigan as part of the competition.
Site Selection magazine provides expansion planning information to 45,000 executives of fast-growing firms in 117 countries. The Governor's Cup rankings are available online at: www.siteselection.com.
MICHIGAN COUNTIES, COMMUNITIES ELIGIBLE FOR CRIME-FIGHTING FUNDS FROM FEDERAL RECOVERY ACT
Last week, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm announced that the state of Michigan, as well as counties and communities throughout the state, are eligible to apply for more than $67 million in federal recovery act funds to enhance law enforcement efforts to fight drug-related and violent crime.
Throughout my district, the following locations received funds:
Garden City: $94,316
Livonia City: $82,065
Redford Township: $97,840
Westland City: $189,975
Wayne County: $94,316
The additional $67 million in economic recovery funds will flow to the state through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG). Sixty percent of these federal dollars, or more than $41 million, will be administered by the Department of Community Health Office of Drug Control Policy and awarded to state and local criminal justice agencies by a competitive grant process. The remaining 40 percent of the total federal allocation – approximately $25.8 million - will be awarded directly to units of local government to help prevent, fight, and prosecute drug-related and violent crime.
JOIN ‘HIRE MICHIGAN FIRST’ CAUSE ON FACEBOOK
If you are a Facebook member and support the hiring of Michigan workers for jobs created from taxpayer’s money, I urge you to join the “Hire Michigan First’ cause on Facebook. By joining this cause, you can show your support for hiring Michigan workers for Michigan jobs, stay updated on the status of the legislation and take part in discussions with fellow supporters.
To join the ‘Hire Michigan First’ click on the following link: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/235147?m=3f1cca43.
To view a recent statement I made concerning this cause, please click on the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26wlvu05Ono
TAX SEASON MEANS MONEY BACK FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
Many low-income families can actually receive more on their taxes this year thanks to federal and state tax credits. These credits can reduce a family’s tax bill or mean a larger refund.
The federal and state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) supplements wages and reduces the tax burden on low- or moderate-income workers. All workers eligible for the federal EITC are eligible for the state EITC. People qualify based on their income, and it can be used by families, individuals raising children, and individuals with no children. The federal EITC refund can be as much as $5,300, and the state EITC refund can be nearly $500 depending on income, marital status and number of children.
The federal Dependent Child Care Credit assists families with the cost of care for children or other dependent relatives, and can be claimed for a child under the age of 13 or for a disabled adult. The credit lets families claim a portion of their care expenses, and is only available to families earning enough money to pay taxes. The federal Child Tax Credit (CTC) is for families raising children under age 17. The child can be the tax filer’s own child, a relative the filer cares for as their own, or a foster child placed by an agency who has lived with the filer for more than six months.
Many of these credits require extra forms. State and federal tax forms are free and can be found at the post office and your local library. You can also call 1-800-TAX-FORM to receive federal forms. Tax forms can also be downloaded from the state website: http://www.michigan.gov/taxes and federal website: http://www.irs.gov.
MICHIGAN - GOOD NEWS
While the media is filled with bad news about the economy in Michigan and elsewhere, there continues to be positive stories about things that are happening in our Great Lakes State. Many times these positive stories are pushed off the page by negative articles. Periodically, I hope to feature articles in this section about these positive stories.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College is poised to become a first-of-its-kind national training center for technicians who will work on utility-sized turbines clustered on wind farms and on the smaller commercial units similar to the one that was installed on the Texas Township campus in late January. Beginning in October, the Michigan Technical Education Center at KVCC’s Groves Campus will launch a 26-week training academy based on European standards for technicians to gain entry-level employment working on the giants of the wind-energy industry.
Utica-based Global Tooling Systems, the leading supplier of tooling systems and services for the commercial and military aerospace industries, plans to invest $17.2 million to relocate operations to Macomb Township. The project is expected to create 400 new jobs, including 184 directly by the company. Michigan won out over competing sites in Texas, Washington, California, and Georgia.
State and local tax capture valued at more than $1.4 million will support a modern business development and technology center for BAE Systems Land and Armaments in Sterling Heights. The project is expected to generate $44 million in new investment and create 460 new jobs.
In an effort to capitalize on tighter corporate budgets, the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitor’s Bureau developed Meet in the D, a program designed to boost local tourism dollars. The idea was to convince local companies that typically would’ve traveled out of state for a corporate meeting to host their meeting in Detroit instead. At least 20 companies have reported they held a meeting in Detroit rather than going out of state, representing an economic impact of $13.5 million in spending. You can visit their website by clicking on this link: http://www.visitdetroit.com/index.php/meet-in-the-d.
Fisker Automotive Inc., makers of plug-in hybrid concept cars, is investing up to $5 million to relocate jobs for a new Engineering and Development Center in Pontiac. According to Chief Operating Officer Bernhard Koehler, “The available talent, supplier base and infrastructure in Michigan will help us reach our production goals.” Up to 200 engineers and designers will work in a corporate office park in Pontiac, and Fisker hopes to begin early production of their new concept vehicle, “Karma,” by year’s end. Visit their website at: http://karma.fiskerautomotive.com/
K&S Wire Products LLC is focusing on manufacturing wire products and eventually plastic shopping carts. To that end, it plans to invest $1.2 million to purchase shopping cart manufacturing equipment. The project is expected to create 356 new Michigan jobs, including 157 directly by the company.
Patrick Energy Services, a provider of engineering, program and construction management services for high-voltage electric infrastructure and smart grid technologies, plans to invest $2.2 million to expand operations in Novi. The project is expected to create 185 new jobs, including 90 directly by the company.
HELPFUL TIPS
FREE 411 DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE
Google is offering a new service to help you find local business information completely free and directly from your cell phone by calling 1-800-GOOG-411. You can access 1-800-466-4411 from any phone, including landlines, anywhere in the U.S., at anytime. You will not have to pay for 411 calls again. Cell phone companies charge up to $3.75 for 411 Information calls. Since most people do not carry a telephone directory in their vehicles, they incur a charge for each 411 call. You don’t have to any more.
Store this number in your cell phone: 1-800-GOOG411 (1-800-466-4411). GOOG-411 is voice-activated, so you can access it from any phone (cell or land line).
Here is how to make a call:
- Dial 1-800-GOOG-411.
- Say where you are or where you want to go.
- Say what business or type of business you are looking for.
- GOOG-411 will tell you the phone number you desire or list of businesses you mentioned.
- Then GOOG-411 will immediately connect you automatically. If you are calling from a mobile device, GOOG-411 can even send you a text message with more details and a map. Simply say "Text message" or "Map it."
Your telephone company may deduct your minutes on the call or apply usual charges for making a phone call or receiving a text message but you will not be charged any additional 411 fees.
News reports indicate that Google is providing this free service in order to improve its voice activated programming. (NOTE: There are other similar services but they require listening to ads or downloading software; and 1-state area code-555-1212 charges for calls.)
Try a call right now to verify. For more information see: http://www.google.com/goog411/. Or check out the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN0q8SvlQAk.
SET YOUR CLOCKS ACCURATELY
Ever wonder where you could get the correct time when resetting your clocks and watches? Most will remember that until a few years ago, metro-area residents could simply call a number on the phone and get a recorded voice to set their clocks by, but that service is no longer available. A great source for the most accurate U.S. time is: http://www.time.gov.
The public service site is cooperatively provided by the two time agencies of the United States: a Department of Commerce agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and its military counterpart, the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO). Just how accurate is it? Readings from the clocks of these agencies contribute to world time, called Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The time maintained by both agencies should never differ by more than 0.0000001 seconds from UTC.
FIND MICHIGAN DISTANCES AND TRAVEL TIMES
With this calculator on the Michigan Department of Transportation’s website, you can check the distance and travel time between many Michigan cities. Go to: http://mdotwas1.mdot.state.mi.us/public/distcalc/Distance.cfm.
ARE YOU MISSING ANY MONEY?
The website http://www.missingmoney.com/ provides a national database to help states locate lost owners of funds held in various accounts. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) established this website in 1999. Searches are free of charge and data is refreshed monthly. Common types of unclaimed property include: 1) Bank accounts and safe deposit box contents, 2) Stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends, 3) Uncashed checks and wages, 4) Insurance policies, CD's, trust funds, 5) Utility deposits, escrow accounts.
COFFEE HOURS IN LIVONIA AND GARDEN CITY ANNOUNCED FOR MONDAY, MARCH 23RD, 2009
On Monday, March 23rd, I will be hosting coffee hours in Livonia and Garden City, and you’re invited to attend:
Monday, March 23rd
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Livonia Civic Park Senior Center
15218 Farmington Road
Livonia
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Maplewood Community Center
31735 Maplewood
Garden City
