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

The leaves have all fallen from the trees, the temperatures are dropping and soon the snow will be flying it must be time for one of my favorite holidays: Thanksgiving. (read)

Podcasts from Senator Tom George

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE: SEPTEMBER 2009 EDITION.

Michigan State Senator Tom George interviews Bill Finch: the Award winning Master Decorative Painter of the Michigan State Capitol. (Tuesday, September 01, 2009)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D.: JUNE 2009 EPISODE

Michigan State Senator Tom George M.D. discusses the recent possible discovery of the French ship Griffin with Michigan maritime expert Ken Vrana. The Griffin, commonly thought to be the first sailing vessel on the Great Lakes, is believed to have sank after setting setting sail for Niagara from the Garden Peninsula on September 7, 1679. (Monday, June 01, 2009)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D.: MAY 2009 EDITION

Michigan State Senator Tom George discusses the 1927 Bath School massacre with the Capitol Area District Library's History Librarian David Votta. (Friday, May 01, 2009)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D.: APRIL 2009 EDITION.

Michigan State Senator Tom George discusses amphibians and reptiles with MSU Herpetologist James Harding. (Wednesday, April 01, 2009)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D.: MARCH 2009 EDITION.

Michigan State Senator Tom George interviews Richard Bell from the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society. (Sunday, March 01, 2009)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D.: FEBRUARY 2009 EDITION

Michigan State Senator Tom George M.D. discusses land banks with Saginaw County Treasurer Marvin D. Hare. (Sunday, February 01, 2009)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D. - JANUARY 2009 EDITION

Michigan State Senator Tom George discusses Michigan's bird population with Department of Natural Resources All-Bird Biologist Karen Cleveland. (Thursday, January 01, 2009)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D. - DECEMBER 2008 EDITION

Michigan State Senator Tom George discusses the Pontiac Indian uprising of 1764 with doctor, historian and author Todd Harburn O.D. (Monday, December 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE M.D. - SEPTEMBER 2008

Senator George speaks with Richard Pietroski: CEO of Gift of Life Michigan. (Monday, September 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - AUGUST 2008

Senator Tom George interviews Barbara Brown of the Mackinac Bridge Authority (Friday, August 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - JULY 2008

Restoration and History of the Michigan Capitol Building with Capitol Historian Kerry Chartkoff (Tuesday, July 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - JUNE 2008

Senator George interviews Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice, the Honorable Clifford W. Taylor. (Sunday, June 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - MAY 2008

A great time of the year to visit the Zoo! Senator Tom George interviews Greg Geise, President/CEO of Binder Park Zoo. (Thursday, May 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - APRIL 2008

Tips From A Master Gardener - Lorraine Fedorchak-Kraker, Kalamazoo County Cooperative Extension (Tuesday, April 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - MARCH 2008

Senator Tom George interviews Dave Middleton of the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club on local cycling and the Kalhaven Rail Trail. (Saturday, March 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - FEBRUARY 2008

Senator Tom George (R-Kalamazoo) interviews Mark Harvey, official Archivist for the State of Michigan (Friday, February 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - JANUARY 2008

At one time there were over 1,000 covered bridges in Michigan. With less than a dozen left Senator George invited Randy Case, President of Architecture + Design of Battle Creek to talk about their decline and those that remain. (Tuesday, January 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - JANUARY 2008

Senator Tom George speaks with Randy Case of Architecture+Design (Tuesday, January 01, 2008)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - DECEMBER 2007

Senator Tom George interviews Denise Yockey, Executive Director of the Michigan Apple Committee (Saturday, December 01, 2007)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - NOVEMBER 2007

Senator Tom George interviews Barbara Brown of the Mackinac Bridge Authority (Thursday, November 01, 2007)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH SENATOR TOM GEORGE - AUGUST 2007

Senator Tom George interviews Greg Geise, President/CEO of Binder Park Zoo (Wednesday, August 01, 2007)

CURRENT EVENTS WITH STATE SENATOR TOM GEORGE - MAY 2007

Senator Tom George interviews Dave Ingall, Assistant Director of the Monroe County Historical Museum (Tuesday, May 01, 2007)

View podcast archive.