Reinventing Michigan

This evening, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder delivered Michigan's State of the State Address. An outline of his remarks can be found here. He continued on his them of "Reinventing Michigan," and focused on three core areas:

• Jobs;
• People; and,
• Good Government.

While he talked about his achievements from the past year, tonights address was focused on giving his vision for 2013 and provide a road map for the legislature to help him "Reinvent Michigan," focused in the same three areas I listed above.

JOBS

In 2013, Governor Snyder will focus on bolstering Michigan's infrastructure by fixing our roads and paying for them and building a new border crossing between Michigan and Ontario. This summer, he will work to bring together political leaders from around the Great Lakes Basin to focus on finding ways to preserve our Great Lakes, as a region. And by December, Governor Snyder will address issues related to public land and renewable energy.

Also under JOBS, Snyder will address the issue of education in the state and focus on providing students the choice of shaping their own education while addressing the needs of Michigan's failing schools. He also provided support for creative options to ensure that all children have access to a pre-school education.

He also is giving greater focus to Michigan financial services and insurance industry and earlier today created a new department to focus on that issue alone. He also created a new Veteran's Affairs agency that will focus on caring for Michigan's Veterans and ensuring they have opportunities to find a job upon returning from service or buying or protecting their home.

PEOPLE

Snyder will also look at addressing the issue of mental health and is searching for creative ideas to deal with this issue states are now starting to grapple with. He will work to strengthen neighborhoods and build communities.

GOOD GOVERNMENT

While also finding ways to make our public officials and those doing business with the state and local governments more accountable through ethics reform, campaign finance and changes in how local elections are administered.

TOP KEY WORD FOR THE STATE OF THE STATE

• If you want the best, buy a Michigan product.
• A year of summits.
• Use common sense and get it done.
• Thus is our opportunity.
• Success stories.
• Creative solutions.
• Work together.
• No blaming.
• Look forward.
• Creating a better path for our kids and their kids.

And of course, doing all this with, "Relentless positive action."  Now, let's get out there and "get the job done."

It is anything but business as usual in Lansing But Everything is on the table

LANSING, MICH. -- On Wednesday, when the new Speaker of the Michigan House James Bolger (R-Marshall), gaveled the  96^th session of the House to order, he used his opening address to call for the elimination of the Michigan Business Tax (MBT), a 48-month cap on welfare benefits and the completion of a two-year budget by June 1. The Republican leader's remarks broke from the platitudes and vows of cooperation that have come from opening House session speeches in recent years. Republicans control the chamber 63-47. Bolger also focused his remarks on removing barriers to things that create jobs, including reforming regulations and cutting the 'red tape.'   The bottom line, according to the new Speaker, is that spending, tax and regulatory reform will dominate the 96^th Legislature.

182 Days

One a related note, the Snyder Administration is giving itself 182 days (or to July 1), days to enact a budget, change business taxes and do other reforms. The governor does not support sales taxes on services but will look at how tax incentives are used.