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House Dems Oppose Continued School Funding Cuts

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:36:00 -0400

LANSING - House Democrats held press conferences throughout the state Monday and called on Governor Rick Snyder and Legislative Republicans to restore school funding to the proposed Republican-backed education budget. The proposed budget now in a conference committee allows last year’s nearly $1 billion raid of education funds to stand, and does not increase the per-pupil foundation allowance which was cut $470 per pupil in the current fiscal year budget. The proposed budget also pits schools against each other competing for small increases if they meet vaguely defined “best practices” - such as maintaining an online dashboard - which do nothing to improve classroom instruction or provide more resources for students. In reality, the total recommended expenditures for schools decline from Fiscal Year 2012 to Fiscal Year 2013 and decline again in Fiscal Year 2014 making the budget a net loss, and the School Aid foundation allowance for schools will actually be at its lowest level since 2006.

The following House Democrats participated in press events held throughout the state:

Vicki Barnett (D-Farmington Hills)

Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield)

George Darany (D-Dearborn)

Douglas Geiss (D-Taylor)

Tim Greimel (D-Pontiac)

Rudy Hobbs (D-Southfield)

Andrew Kandrevas (D-Southgate)

Ellen Cogen Lipton (D-Huntington Woods)

Stacy Erwin Oakes (D-Saginaw)

Charles Smiley (D-Burton)

Jim Townsend (D-Royal Oak)

For a district specific break down of education cuts go to the House Democrats “Fight School Cuts” website at www.FightSchoolCuts.com.

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House Democrats Oppose Cyber School Growth

Tue, 01 May 2012 17:00:00 -0400

LANSING â�� The Michigan House Democratic caucus today challenged the Republican-backed plan to lift the cap on virtual charter schools, or cyber schools, in Michigan because the plan fails to provide enough accountability regarding educational quality and could siphon critical dollars from traditional, brick-and-mortar schools to private out-of-state companies. A bipartisan group of lawmakers also were concerned over the lack of reliable evidence on the effectiveness of online instruction. The legislation, Senate Bill 619, passed in both chambers of the Michigan Legislature on near party-line votes, but was denied immediate effect in the House thanks to Democratic opposition.

“I’m glad we were able to push the pause button on this legislation, which could have drained millions of dollars from our public schools and given the funds to out of state for-profit corporations,” said House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (D-Mt. Morris Township). “Our fight to protect our public schools continues, and we will be reminding voters that their kids are our priority.”

Lifting the cap on cyber schools in Michigan is one of a number of Republican-sponsored bills that will harm the quality of education available in local classrooms, colleges and universities. Specifically, Senate Bill 619 will expand the number of cyber schools that could operate in Michigan and the number of students that can enroll in cyber schools. Currently, there are only two sanctioned cyber schools in our state. After Dec. 31, 2014, that number could jump to 15 cyber schools state wide.

“We couldn’t stop this bad cyber school bill last week, but we at least delayed it from taking effect this year, so our school districts won’t be quickly overrun with for-profit cyber schools offering students an unknown product,” said Democratic Floor Leader Kate Segal (D-Battle Creek). “Last week, Republicans joined Democrats to vote against this bill, so there are serious questions on both sides of the aisle about this classroom experiment.”

Because SB 619 eliminates the requirement that cyber school students be previously enrolled in a public school, total statewide student counts could increase as many non-public school students and homeschooled students not previously enrolled in a public school could now become public school pupils enrolled via a cyber school. But, the increase in pupils could prove harmful to traditional school districts as districts stand to lose foundation allowance aid and other categorical aid due to the loss of students to cyber schools. Cyber schools would thus receive the same level of foundation allowance aid without having to pay for buildings, transportation, utilities or supplies like traditional schools. The new plan is tantamount to a voucher system that will divide the school aid fund between more students necessitating a cut in the foundation allowance while at the same time removing students and funding from traditional public schools. This will leave already financially stressed districts that much closer to Emergency Manager status.

“The vote today to keep the expansion of cyber schools from taking immediate effect was an important first step, but it wasn’t our final one,” said State Representative Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield). “We won’t stop until a quality education is available to every child in our state.”

Hammel, House Dems Stand Against Destructive Budget

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:41:00 -0400

LANSING - House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (Mt. Morris Township) and members of the House Democratic caucus today voiced and voted their opposition to the Republican-backed omnibus budget stating that it follows last year’s lack of job creation, taxes raised and increased burdens on seniors and middle-class families, and little or no commitment to reform, transparency or accountability.

“What’s disappointing is that after all the sacrifices the Republicans demanded of our families, our kids and our seniors, there is no relief from that next year,” said Hammel. “This budget does nothing to create a single job in this state but will guarantee fewer jobs, making life even harder on middle-class working families, while protecting six-figure salaries for appointees of the Governor.”

The budget eliminates thousands of jobs, including more than 1,100 in the Department of Corrections, raising questions about adequate staffing and public safety. The Republican budget also fails small businesses by undercutting growth and job creation tools that contain accountability and instead focuses on corporate handouts. Next year’s budget also makes it more difficult for local communities to maintain public safety, to create healthy and secure communities or receive the support they need to avoid the appointment of unelected emergency financial managers. What little help is offered comes with strings attached making it virtually impossible to access.

“This budget is more bad news for struggling Michigan families,” said Democratic Floor Leader Kate Segal (Battle Creek). “It fails to provide relief to our middle-class families and contains no accountability for Republicans’ reckless and harmful corporate handouts and increased senior taxes. Our residents need more jobs, not less; our kids need better schools, not more cuts; and our seniors need immediate tax relief from Republican tax increases on them from last year. Unfortunately, they will get none of that in this Republican proposal.”

Next year’s budget also follows last year’s mistake of putting all of the departmental budgets into one huge bill, as opposed to individually as done in the past. Omnibus bills don’t allow for a transparent review or for the public to understand the merits and problems of individual departmental bills like Corrections, Human Services and Community Health. They are designed to confuse and provide cover and mean less accountability of government to the people we represent.

“The real losers in this budget are the residents of our towns and cities,” said State Representative Richard LeBlanc (Westland), who serves as Minority Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee. “We have seen revenue sharing continually cut by this Legislature and it has undermined our ability to keep police on the streets and residents safe in our neighborhoods. Republicans and the governor seem very content to dispatch emergency financial managers to our struggling towns while failing to take responsibility for creating the economic hardship that allows the appointment.”

Statement from House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (D-Mt. Morris Township) on Court of Appeals judgeships:

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:31:09 -0400

“The continued drastic decline in court filings is validation that Governor Rick Snyder’s appointment of two judges to vacant slots on the Court of Appeals was unnecessary. These appointments brought the court to 28 judges merely a month after the House voted to reduce the number of judgeships to 24 because of reduced caseloads. After taxing our seniors and cutting funding to classrooms across the state, this unnecessary cost to the taxpayers of Michigan is unacceptable. Families across our state are making tough decisions when it comes to finances, and it’s time the Governor and Republicans in the Legislature were held to the same standards.?Â�

House Democrats Fight Tax Changes

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:19:00 -0400

Democratic Floor Leader Segal and State Representatives Byrum, Bauer and Meadows held a press conference in East Lansing to highlight the sweeping changes to taxes that House Republicans made this year, including the pension tax and eliminating a number of tax deductions.

Ingham Co. Dems Call For Repeal of Tax Hikes on Middle Class, Seniors

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:19:36 -0400

EAST LANSING - State Representatives Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing), Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga), Joan Bauer (D-Lansing) and Democratic Floor Leader Kate Segal (D-Battle Creek) today at a press conference in East Lansing called on Republicans to rescind their new taxes on retirees and to restore tax credits to the middle class by supporting Democrat-sponsored bills that will relieve the burden on Michigan families when next year’s tax deadline rolls around.

“It’s extremely important that residents realize that this time next year will be drastically different,” said Rep. Meadows. “Many credits and deductions that are integral to working families and seniors have been eliminated or greatly reduced. The returns people are getting this year will, unfortunately, be a thing of the past.”

In the past year, the Republican-led Legislature has made many changes to the Michigan tax code that punish middle-class families, including the introduction of a tax on retirement income, a steep reduction in the homestead tax credit, a drastic cut to the Earned Income Tax Credit and the elimination of the child tax credit and tax credits for charitable donations. These changes were made to fund more than $1 billion in tax breaks for big corporations, effectively making Michigan’s poor and middle-class families pay for a hand-out to big businesses. The new taxes take effect this year, which means many taxpayers won’t feel them until it comes time to file tax returns next year. However, retirees have already seen their monthly checks take a hit as the state starts to collect withholdings on pensions and 401(k) disbursements.

“Republicans pushed through these measures that hurt families in order to fund more than $1 billion in tax breaks to corporations,” said Rep. Byrum. “These hand-outs were given to corporations without securing a promise that these companies would create even a single job in return.”

To correct this wrong, the Democrats have introduced several measures to undo these punitive changes and make Michigan’s tax system fair to everyone. These measures include House Bill 4818 to eliminate the senior tax and House Bill 5407 which would restore the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit for working families to the level it was at before Republicans cut it by 70 percent.

“Passing these bills will bring immediate relief to Michigan families, who are already struggling to enter or stay in the middle class,” said Rep. Segal. “The Republicans’ harsh tax changes are a blatant attack on our hardest working residents and seniors on a fixed income. As Floor Leader, I plan on doing everything in my power, with the help of my Democratic colleagues, to stop any more damage the Republican majority is planning, because Michigan families simply cannot afford the unfair Republican agenda.”

In addition to current introduced legislation, the House Democrats pledged to continue fighting against tax increases on the middle class and seniors every time a new, harmful tax is introduced to the Legislature and have kept Michigan taxpayers aware of the changes through a series of town halls held across the state.

“We know Michigan families here in Ingham County feel they are under attack from these tax increases, “said Rep. Bauer. “We hear them tell us every day how they struggle to make ends meet so it is our job as their voice in Lansing to never stop fighting on their behalf.”

House Dems File Lawsuit Over Constitutional Violations

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:21:00 -0400

LANSING - House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (Mt. Morris Township) and members of the House Democratic Caucus today announced the filing of a lawsuit in Ingham County Circuit Court over the House Republicans’ constitutional violations of giving bills immediate effect without having the necessary votes and ignoring House Democrats’ demands for record roll call votes on issues like immediate effect, even when the House Democrats have shown more than enough support under the state constitution. Leader Hammel, Democratic Floor Leader Kate Segal (Battle Creek), and Representatives Woodrow Stanley (Flint), Mark Meadows (East Lansing), Steven Lindberg (Marquette) and Jeff Irwin (Ann Arbor) were all named as plaintiffs on the House Dem’s motion for a temporary restraining order and show cause hearing.

“It’s very regrettable that it has come this far,” said Hammel. “Our caucus wanted to avoid this measure and we exhausted reasoning with Republicans to follow the constitution with regard to roll call votes and immediate effect. We don’t vote for ourselves in the Capitol, we vote on behalf of our constituents. When we’re denied the constitutionally guaranteed rights, hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents are being denied a fair voice in how their state is run. I only hope this matter can be resolved quickly.”

Under the constitution, the House must allow a record roll call vote on immediate effect if one-fifth of members (22) request it. The House Democratic Caucus currently has 47 members. House Republicans have ignored demands for record roll call votes to avoid counting votes when support is in doubt. Instead of allowing the legislative process to takes place as it should under the state constitution, Republicans have ignored the constitution by not being truthful about the numbers of votes they have for immediate effect. This practice denies the constitutional right to roll call votes and silences the voices of Michigan residents. The lawsuit is an attempt by House Democrats to get majority Republicans to stop trampling over rights granted to the people under the state constitution.

Dems Speak on Successful Discharge of "Reform Government Now" Package

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:13:00 -0400

In this clip, House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (Mt. Morris Township), Democratic Floor Leader Kate Segal (Battle Creek), Representative Vicki Barnett (Farmington Hills) and Representative Barb Byrum (Onondaga) talk with the press about their success in getting the “Reform Government Now” package out of the Committee on Redistricting and Elections and call on Republicans to quickly allow a vote on the bills.

House Dems Discharge Ethics Reform Bills

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:13:00 -0400

LANSING - State Representative Roy Schmidt (Grand Rapids), with support from the entire House Democratic Caucus, moved to discharge the sixteen bill and one constitutional amendment “Reform Government Now” package introduced in early February in the House today. The motion was allowed in the wake of Michigan receiving an “F” on State Integrity Investigation’s corruption report card.

“It was a positive step to see these bills begin to move through the legislative process after many members supported a number of the bills in the package in the last session,” said House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (Mt. Morris Township). “Since their introduction, we were given no indication that the Republican majority was willing to move these bills in committee. Unfortunately, we had to use the discharge motion today to move this package of legislation through the process, but I’m thankful it was supported and urge Republicans to allow for a quick vote on these bills and get them to the Senate.”

The bills, many of which passed in the previous session with Republican support, resolve a number of the problems cited in the failing grade from State Integrity Investigation including having legislators disclose personal finances, beefing up campaign finance disclosure requirements, establishing an ethics act for the executive branch, and enacting strong conflict of interest laws. In his State of the State Address, Governor Rick Snyder said the people deserve a more open and accountable government. The “Reform Government Now” package was re-introduced following his remarks calling on the Legislature to enact ethics reform.

“It is our job to be responsible and responsive to the people who elected us,” said House Floor Leader Kate Segal (Battle Creek). “It is in all of our best interests to shine more light on the political process and to know exactly who is contributing to candidates. The people of Michigan deserve to know if corporate special interests are funding their elections, so they can make intelligent decisions at the voting booth. Ranking 43rd in the nation is simply unacceptable. It is time for transparency, accountability and ‘relentless positive action’ to be more than just slogans; this is a real opportunity to follow through and reform campaigns and government in a seriously positive way.”

Among other things, the sixteen bills and one constitutional amendment in the House Democratic “Reform Government Now” package would:

Create a two-year “cooling off” period for elected officials and a one year period for department directors who attempt to move directly into lobbying to close the revolving door between public and private work.
Require personal financial disclosure from appointed and elected officials. Michigan is one of only three states with no financial disclosure requirements.
Strengthen conflict of interest provisions for legislators, prohibit state elected officials from applying for or accepting state grants, and make it illegal for individuals to solicit or accept campaign contributions while in a state facility.
Toughen campaign finance disclosure and corporate accountability after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on corporate spending in campaigns and prevent state contractors, companies that accept federal bail-out money, and foreign-controlled corporations from spending money in Michigan elections.
Increase transparency by forcing corporations making expenditures in campaigns or for lobbying purposes to comply with the law and publically disclose funders.
Require “robo-calls” to clearly state the name and address of the organization paying for them.