Today as the Senate debated repealing the Michigan Business Tax Surcharge, Senate Democrats made a push to add legislation that would keep homeowners facing foreclosure from losing their homes: http://tinyurl.com/caaxoc. Senator Buzz Thomas (D- Detroit) proposed adding a package of bills to the MBT surcharge repeal that includes placing a moratorium on foreclosures, allowing struggling homeowners to stay in their homes and make reduced payments until they can get back on their feet.
These foreclosure bills ( http://tinyurl.com/b8hujf ) were originally introduced early 2008 by Senator Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) and were sent to the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions where they did not receive a hearing. This legislation would also help those whose landlords are going into foreclosure by giving them a 90 day notice and also requiring the new owner to hold to the terms of the tenants lease.
Foreclosure rates are continuing to hurt Michigan's economy and during these tough times, this crisis can be stabilized by implementing this legislation as stated by Senator Clarke: http://tinyurl.com/c5qc49. By tie barring foreclosure protection legislation to the MBT Surcharge repeal Senate Democrats hoped to tackle two of Michigan's largest problems: jobs and foreclosures. Although the motion to attach foreclosure protections to the repeal failed on a party line vote, Senate Democrats will continue their fight to keep people in their homes and continue to push legislation that will help do just that.
Today Sen. Jim Barcia called for a review of the tragic death of Marvin E. Schur, a 93-year-old World War II veteran who froze to death in his Bay City home after Bay City Electric Light & Power placed a device on his home to limit his electric use.
Barcia said, "Under no circumstances should a person suffer what Marvin Schur did. We need to know what happened and what we can do to prevent this from happening anywhere in our state, ever again. In the meantime, Bay City Electric Light & Power should suspend all shut-offs and use of regulators for the remainder of this winter season."
Barcia is working with Rep. Jeff Mayes to draft legislation to protect vulnerable citizens like seniors and the people with disabilities during the winter months. For the full press release and more information, click here: http://www.senate.michigan.gov/dem/pr.php?id=1167
RealtyTrac issued a report today with the newest foreclosure data, indicating that filings were up 81% in 2008: http://tinyurl.com/833qez. RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio even went as far as saying,"Clearly the foreclosure prevention programs implemented to date have not had any real success in slowing down this foreclosure tsunami."
Senate Democrats recognized the urgency of the foreclosure situation even before rates reached record highs. Last year Sen. Hansen Clarke introduced SB 1306, a bill co-sponsored by nine other caucus members including Sen. Olshove and Sen. Gleason, that would place a two year moratorium on foreclosures and allow homeowners to make reduced mortgage payments while staying in their homes: http://tinyurl.com/7r4aox.
(Some day, if you're all lucky, I'll share the story of how I used a balloon and a Richard Nixon mask to misuse the HOV lanes around Hampton Roads, Virgina. - promoted by Eric B.)
Whether you have a long commute or a ten minute drive to work, the heavy congestion that morning and rush hour traffic brings lengthens your trip. Five years ago, when gas hovered around $1.70, the only thing significantly wasted was your time. Now, as your car inches to work testing speeds between 15 mph and idling, you are wasting money as well as polluting the environment.
To keep traffic moving quickly and encourage car pooling, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is exploring the option of creating special freeway or highway lanes throughout Michigan that would be reserved only for cars that contain two or more people, including the driver. Drivers caught using these lanes without a passenger would face a $100 fine. These car pool roads, specifically referred to as high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, are prevalent throughout the country as a way to encourage drivers to share rides.
(Hello Sen. Scott and thanks for the shout-out to Habitat for Humanity. - promoted by JPowers155)
There's been a lot of talk lately about housing. Mostly, it's been focused on mortgages, foreclosures and bailouts. That concern is based on a belief that people from all walks of life deserve affordable housing in safe, stable and thriving communities.
But there's another side to housing and community development. It's about reducing blight and keeping our existing neighborhoods clean. Clean up/fix up programs foster pride, cultivate dignity and bring out community spirit. When neighborhoods are improved they become more desirable and make us proud to live there. And reducing blight improves safety for the residents as well.
The following is a floor statement I delivered to my colleagues on the afternoon of July 17:
In the wee hours of the morning during our last session before we broke, the Majority party and the Senate leader passed a resolution to punish certain members of the Senate because he stated “their actions did not reflect well on the Senate.” Did those members break any laws? No. Did they break any rules? No. What was their crime? They moved bills to the floor. Bills that have been bottled up in committee for a long time. Their “shenanigans,” as it was called, was to do their job. Only to bring bills to the floor for full Senate consideration.
I have heard some of my colleagues on the other side say they were not operating in a cooperative manner. But the question is, “what is cooperation?” From the Majority’s viewpoint it is cooperation based on the Majority’s will and conditions. From the Minority’s standpoint, little cooperation exists; it’s more an issue of requesting, cajoling, and maybe begging. Therefore when an opportunity exists to move legislation along, legislation that has been pent up in committee, it’s important that we use the opportunity when presented with it. As we all know it is our job to serve our constituents and sometimes that means moving bills that the leadership does not want moved.
(Thank you, Senator Jacobs! - promoted by ScottyUrb)
I recently read an article describing how astronauts aboard the International Space Station will be able to participate in the November, 2008 elections from outer space. NASA technicians at Texas Mission Control will send ballots using special software to the space station, where the astronauts will make their selections and send them back to county elections officials. The encrypted votes will then be transferred to paper ballots and submitted on Election Day for counting.
Wow. What an amazing accommodation for absentee voters! But even more amazing is that, while voters some 200 miles from the earth can vote absentee, Michigan voters who live just a few miles from their polling sites are often unable to exercise their right to vote.
Currently, the requirements to vote absentee are strict. So if you have small children and no day care; if you have no transportation; if you become ill; or if you work a shift that precludes voting, well, you're just out of luck.
(Welcome to Senator Gilda Jacobs - promoted by JPowers155)
Time was when your post-graduation big-ticket debt was going to be a new car, a condo or a month trekking through Europe. But these days you can move your college education bill to the head of that list. Even Barack and Michelle Obama admit they just recently paid off their college debt. And they're both in their 40s!
Today, about 60 percent of all college graduates leave college with outstanding loans averaging around $19,000.
Ask any Michigan Legislator what their top priority is this year, and you're likely to hear a similar response from most of them-jobs. While we may differ on the best way to transform our economy and create an environment for job growth, it's rare that the Legislature actually gets an opportunity to directly influence the job market.
That's exactly what we have on our hands this year with the Capital Outlay budget-an opportunity for construction workers to get started on major building projects at community colleges, universities and local airports across the state.
Each of the proposed projects for our state's public universities were identified as the #1 building priority for that school. Unfortunately, all those "number one" priorities for growth and expansion could get delayed another year because of the Legislature's second-guessing. These projects have already been postponed for far too long, and with the Capital Outlay budget responsible for up to 75% of the construction costs in some instances, they will never get off the ground without our support.
(Thanks for this important diary, Sen. Jacobs! - promoted by JPowers155)
I wanted to share the statement I made during session yesterday with Michigan Liberal readers about the importance of Sunshine Week, and the contributions of Senior White House Correspondent Helen Thomas:
I rise today to combine the pride of Women's History Month with the increasing significance of Sunshine Week, a week dedicated to openness in government and freedom of information. I do that by paying tribute to a long-serving local hero of mine, White House news correspondent Helen Thomas.
Helen Thomas was born in Kentucky in 1920, but she was raised in Detroit where she attended public schools and later graduated from Wayne State University. The year after college, Thomas served as a copy girl on the now-defunct Washington Daily News, joining UPI in 1943. She later covered federal beats that included the Department of Justice, FBI, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and Capitol Hill before she began covering President-elect John F. Kennedy in 1960. Thomas went on to the White House in January 1961 with UPI where she remained until May 2000, when she left to join Hearst News Service as a White House correspondent.
(Welcome to MichLib, Senator. - promoted by JPowers155)
The Campaign for Smokefree Air (CSA) is currently accepting submissions for their Michigan Smokefree Video Challenge, where people from all over the state can submit a YouTube video telling state Senators why they believe Michigan should go smokefree. CSA is looking for creative entries that explain how working in a smoking environment is impacting your health.
For more than ten years I have been working to make Michigan smokefree, so I'm excited about this competition and hoping that you can help CSA send a message to my fellow Senators that this issue has strong public support.
Last December the Michigan House voted 56-46 to pass Rep. Brenda Clack's (D-Flint) legislation banning smoking in Michigan workplaces, including bars and restaurants. Rep. Clack's bill and my own legislation (SB 109) both have bipartisan support, which is why CSA needs your help to urge my Senate colleagues to take action on these bills and add Michigan to a growing list of states that have gone smokefree.
Videos can be posted on the CSA YouTube website, and must be submitted by Friday,March 21. For complete information on the rules, visit www.MakeMIAirSmokefree.org. The winning contestants will have their video concept considered for future CSA promotional campaigns.
With your help we can get proactive about protecting the health and well-being of all Michigan residents.
Last November Gov. Granholm and Michael R. DeVos, Executive Director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), launched the "Save the Dream" campaign to protect Michigan families and keep consumers in their homes. This public awareness campaign is intended to help citizens avoid foreclosure and stabilize our state's turbulent housing market.
As the Democratic Vice-Chairman of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee, I recently helped usher the bills implementing the Save the Dream initiative through the committee process.
One of the main goals of the Save the Dream campaign is to establish an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Refinance Program that will help homeowners switch to a lower-interest, fixed-rate loan. These ARM's have been one of the major factors contributing to our state's foreclosure crisis, which is why I am proud to have sponsored Senate Bill 948 to make sure homeowners in this state can transition into a stable, long-term mortgage that they can actually afford.
(As odd as it sounds, thefts of copper and other metals have been steadily increasing. - promoted by rich)
(In the video above you can watch me discussing copper theft with Mr. Orjiakor Isiogu, Chairman of the Michigan Public Service Commission.)
Friends, as you may know, untold millions of dollars in public and private property have been stolen and lives have been lost because of the recent rash of copper thefts.
That's why I introduced a bill (Senate Bill 720) that would regulate scrap metal processors, the people who purchase copper and other valuable metals. Most of these business owners are honest but we must make sure that they are not endangering lives by dealing in illegal copper and other scrap metal.
Copper theft in our region has reached epidemic proportions. In 2007, for example, more than 400 copper-related thefts involving telephone lines occurred in Detroit, according to AT&T Michigan officials. That represents an increase of more than 140 percent over 2006 numbers. Already in 2008, telephone wire has been cut 60 times in Detroit by people who strip the wire of its copper molding. Every time a phone is cut, residents are cut off from the emergency services they may need.
My bill demands that scrap metal processors be licensed the same way Michigan regulates its second-hand shops and junk dealers. The bill requires that:
Local governments establish licensing fees;
Processors provide written records of all transactions; and
Any material purchased must be kept for 15 days.
We must make sure that scrap metal is clean and sold legally. Please join me tomorrow, Friday, February 22 when the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Regulatory Reform will consider and hear testimony on my bill. The meeting, which begins at 11:00 a.m., will be held at Northwest Activities Center, located at 18100 Meyers Road on the city's northwest side. Call my office at (517) 373-7918 for more information.
Let me know what you think. I want to hear from you.
(Nice to see you, Sen. Thomas! - promoted by LiberalLucy)
I'm urging that any light bulb that is replaced in government buildings be replaced with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). This is a huge step our state can take to reduce our costs and our carbon footprint. It will not cost the taxpayers a dime-in fact, in the long run, it saves money.
The annual utility bill for state government totals approximately $100 million, according to the state Department of Management and Budget. Studies show that using CFLs preserve precious energy, reduces the risk of global warming and saves money. These bulbs typically last about five to 15 times longer than a standard incandescent light bulb and gives off less heat.
A similar effort is being carried out in Massachusetts and it is expected to save the Commonwealth about $15,000 a year in electricity usage, state officials estimate. This is a simple step that we can take to lower costs in our government buildings. Replacing bulbs with a more energy-friendly product is just a brighter idea.
The Michigan Senate Democrats are holding a series of four Town Hall meetings beginning Tuesday on the state budget crisis.
The first one will be held from 6:30 - 8 p.m. - the times for all four seminars - at the Burnham Brook Center, 200 Michigan Ave. West, in Battle Creek, and the second event will be held at Baker College, 2800 Springport Rd., in Jackson on Wednesday. Next month on March 19, the third town hall meeting will be held in Oakland County at the Southfield Library, and on March 22 the final meeting will be held in Genesee County at a location to be determined later.
Senate Minority Floor Leader Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, will lead the first two meetings in his district. Local officials and experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about how the crisis is affecting local communities and services.
On hand in Battle Creek will be Cindy Ruble, Superintendent of Lakeview Public Schools; Greg Purcell, Calhoun County Administrator; Rob Behenke, Pennfield Township Supervisor; Gary Olson, Director of the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency; and Ed Haring, President of Kellogg Community College.
On hand in Jackson will be Emily Kress, Superintendent of Northwest Public Schools; Olson; Mike Jester, Public Safety Director for Blackman Township; Randy Treacher, Jackson County Administrator and local leaders and state officials have also been invited.
Take the opportunity to hear the real story from the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency, and to learn the cuts will effect local government and ultimately you before the Senate Republicans have a chance to spin their still secret budget plan.
There's been a lot of talk lately about housing. Mostly, it's been focused on mortgages, foreclosures and bailouts. That concern is based on a belief that people from all walks of life deserve affordable housing in safe, stable and thriving communities. 
I recently read an article describing how astronauts aboard the International Space Station will be able to participate in the November, 2008 elections from outer space. NASA technicians at Texas Mission Control will send ballots using special software to the space station, where the astronauts will make their selections and send them back to county elections officials. The encrypted votes will then be transferred to paper ballots and submitted on Election Day for counting.
Ask any Michigan Legislator what their top priority is this year, and you're likely to hear a similar response from most of them-jobs. While we may differ on the best way to transform our economy and create an environment for job growth, it's rare that the Legislature actually gets an opportunity to directly influence the job market.
Last November Gov. Granholm and Michael R. DeVos, Executive Director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), launched the "Save the Dream" campaign to protect Michigan families and keep consumers in their homes. This public awareness campaign is intended to help citizens avoid foreclosure and stabilize our state's turbulent housing market.
