Senate Republican Priorities
and Achievements

Budget: Right-sizing government and Growing Michigan's Economy

The first step to government's economic recovery is an honest acknowledgement of the crisis. Denial is no longer an option, and reliance on tired old solutions and political rhetoric will not change our fortunes. Staying the course is only going to make matters worse and prolong our journey to the road to recovery. (more)

Elimination of MBT Surcharge

Senate Republicans sent a message this year to Michigan job providers to let them know how important they are to re-energizing our state's economy. We encouraged them to keep their businesses here with our recent passage of a bill to eliminate the onerous Michigan Business Tax surcharge. Senate Bill 1 phases out the 21.99 percent MBT surcharge over a two-year period - cutting the surcharge by half to 11 percent in 2009 and eliminating it by 2010. (more)

Workforce Training and Jobs

With our state's unemployment rate nearly 50 percent higher than the rest of the country, we must do everything we can to help put people back to work and facilitate job creation. Michigan has been in a one-state recession for the past six years and our state's economy is undergoing a change that is fundamental and long lasting. As this process plays out, the need to have a trained and capable workforce will grow and remain a top consideration for employers and entrepreneurs deciding where they want to locate. (more)

Health Care Reforms

Currently, Michigan is home to an estimated 1.1 million residents who do not have health insurance, which is equal to 11.5 percent of the state's population. This number is likely to increase unless the economy improves.

Michigan Senate Republicans understand many residents are afraid that they may not be able to afford health insurance. In the last legislative session we tried to address these concerns before they became an issue for the people of Michigan, but unfortunately, the House did not agree. (more)

Eliminate Bureaucracy

Senate Republicans will continue to do everything to make our state a leader in the nation for job growth. One of the most important factors a business considers when deciding where to locate or expand its operations is the time, cost, and ease of compliance associated with a state's regulatory climate.

Senate Republicans will continue our fight to eliminate bureaucracy and make Michigan an inviting place to do business. We will work with job providers to reform the regulatory structure in Michigan and to put pressure on the administration when the actions of a department are costing us precious jobs. (more)

An Agenda for Strong Schools

Senate Republicans firmly believe that the success of our great state will depend almost entirely on whether Michigan has the kind of education system that provides our children and future generations with the skills to succeed in the fiercely competitive and ever-evolving global economy. Literally and figuratively, we simply cannot afford an education model that has grown out of a 20th century industrial and agrarian society. Just as we must diversify our economy, we must challenge ourselves to innovate and to create a diverse and comprehensive approach to educating our children. We are focused and committed to a long-range plan to build strong schools that reflect a dynamic, efficient and high-performance 21st century learning environment. (more)

Protecting Water and Natural Resources

Michigan's natural resources are one of the state's most valuable assets. It is imperative that they be preserved and protected. Senate Republicans will continue our strong leadership role in protecting our water and our environment.

Efforts to conserve Michigan's natural resources are not new for Senate Republicans. For more than five years, we have been leading the way to develop proactive legislation to protect the Great Lakes, promote alternative energy, and expand recycling in Michigan. (more)

Keeping People in Their Homes

Senate Republicans will take action to ensure families are not taxed out of their homes in these tough economic times.

Property values in Michigan have declined steadily over the past two years. Most homeowners have seen the values of their homes drop 15 percent to 25 percent. Property taxes, however, have actually increased over the same period.

We will lead the charge to fix the constitutional provision that allows property taxes to increase while the value of your home decreases. (more)

Making Neighborhoods Safe

Senate Republicans served on a bipartisan workgroup comprised of members of the governor's administration, the House, and the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center to determine how the state might reduce corrections spending while reinvesting in measures that will make communities safer and stronger. The workgroup produced a bipartisan package of policy options that gives Michigan a real chance to achieve needed cost savings and prevents crime at the same time. (more)

From the Senate Floor

Michigan Senate Republicans Floor Statements

Senator Cropsey refutes false statements by the governor and other democrats that the Senate has not acted on revenue generating legislation for the K12 budget.

Recent Blogs from Senate Republicans

Royal Oak Superintendent Dr. Thomas Moline hit the nail on the head when recently testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee in support of my resolution urging an override of the governors veto of 20j funding. (read)

Protecting Our Water and Our Natural Resources: Green Michigan Initiative

Efforts to conserve Michigan's natural resources are not new for Senate Republicans. For more than five years, we have been leading the way to develop proactive legislation to protect the Great Lakes, promote alternative energy, and expand recycling in Michigan.

Streamlining State Decision Making for a True Conservation Program

Michigan has a proud natural resources management heritage that has been cast astray with unwieldy state bureaucracy that attempts to make natural resource management a business. We can reform our Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Natural Resources organizational structure to eliminate one complete agency and all the trappings while restoring a focus on true conservation policy. Senate Republicans will reorganize state government to focus on maintaining a healthy, vibrant, and accessible natural resource base.

Continuing Our 7-year Mission to Protect Our Great Lakes

Senate Republicans laid out an aggressive 66-point plan to protect our Great Lakes years ago in the Great Lakes Conservation Task Force Report of 2002, and we have achieved over two-thirds of that plan. Recent Great Lakes protection plans announced by the lieutenant governor merely build on the work of Senate Republicans. One of the most significant recommendations of that task force report that still remains unmet is the implementation of a statewide inspection program for septic tanks. Failing septic tanks are one of the state's most serious water quality problems.

Ensuring Full and Fair Implementation of Michigan's Water Withdrawal Assessment Program While Protecting Private Property Rights

Senate Republicans will conduct oversight hearings to ensure that our recent water withdrawal laws are fully and fairly implemented despite the governor's significant cuts to this program. We remain committed to protecting the integrity of our water resources program that is science-based and protects the rights of individual citizens to the use of their waters. We will resist all attempts to let state government fully dictate the use of our waters.

News items related to Protecting Our Water and Our Natural Resources and the Green Michigan Initiative

SENATE APPROVES STATE PARKS LEGISLATION TO CUT ANNUAL FEE BY 60 PERCENT AND PROVIDE LONG-TERM PARKS FUNDING SOURCE

The Senate today approved bipartisan legislation that would reduce the annual park entrance fee for Michigan residents from $24 to $10 and provide a long-term funding source for state parks and recreational areas, said Sen. Patty Birkholz, chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee. [more]

BUSINESS AND CONSERVATION GROUPS SUPPORT MCMANUS RESOLUTIONS; URGE STATE TO KEEP POLITICS OUT OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Citizens want politics kept out of natural resources management. That was the message delivered to senators at todays joint Senate hearing to consider a resolution sponsored by Sen. Michelle McManus to reject the governors proposed merger of the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environmental Quality. [more]

MICHIGAN IS AT AN ENERGY CROSSROADS RIGHT NOW AND WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE IN OUR SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND JOBS FOR OUR PEOPLE.

Kahns Corner for the week of October 19, 2009 [more]

SEN. KAHN URGES ACTION TO BRING JOBS TO GREAT LAKES BAY REGION

State Sen. Roger Kahn sent a letter to the governor and director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality urging approval of the necessary permits for Consumers Energys proposed coal-fired plant in Bay City. [more]

SENATE APPROVES BIRKHOLZ LEGISLATION TO HELP FINANCE ENERGY PROJECTS IN MICHIGAN

The state Senate today approved legislation that will create a fund to provide loans for private and public sector renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Michigan, said Sen. Patty Birkholz, sponsor of the measure. [more]

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