Special Transportation Committee Kicks Off

The newly formed Transportation Task Force held its first meeting this week. The task force chaired by Appropriation Chair Senator Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw Twp.) is an attempt to re-energize the much needed debate on future road repair and maintenance funding.

The task force took testimony from Transportation Department officials, House Transportation Chair Paul Opsommer (R-DeWitt), and other interested groups. The Senate members goal in the first meeting was to collect information on how big the problem is and how best to move forward. Additionally, the committee focused on the administrative cost associated with MDOT’s current management system.

Senator Kahn indicated that the task force plans meeting at least five times, with the hope of completing their review by mid-November.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, October 5, 2012 10:49 AM
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Ballot Proposal Spending Grows

A national organization has estimated that $27 million has been spent on advertising for Proposals 2 – 6 in Michigan, with a group fighting Proposal 3 leading the way.

Clean Affordable Renewable Energy (CARE) for Michigan Coalition, which is opposed to Proposal 3’s effort to mandate 25 percent renewable energy use by 2025, has spend $2.5 million in advertising throughout the state.

Proposal 2 is nearly evenly split in spending. Protecting Michigan taxpayers, the group opposing the measure to place collective bargaining in the State Constitution, has spend $1.5 million. Protect Our Jobs and Protect Working Families have spent $2.2 supporting its passage.

Only California with 11 ballot proposals is outpacing Michigan’s spending with a staggering $115 million thus far.

Proposal 1 of 2004, the measure for casino gaming expansion in Michigan, holds the record for most spending with $27.5 million laid out in total.

posted by PAA Online , 10:46 AM
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Secretary of State's Motions Denied - Johnson to Appear at Hearing

Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Borman denied the Department of State’s motion that Secretary of State Ruth Johnson need not personally attend Friday’s hearing regarding the legality of the citizenship checkbox question she has ordered onto ballot applications.

The Department of State filed the emergency motion citing multiple reasons the Secretary should not have to appear, including the 11^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution claims regarding state law being addressed in Federal Court.

Judge Borman also denied a motion filed by attorneys representing the Department hoping to prevent testimony planned by election officials from seven local units of government: Ingham, Macomb and Washtenaw counties, Dearborn, Detroit, Lansing, and Pittsfield Township. Again citing the 11^th Amendment, the motion sought to deny the planned testimony to argue that the checkbox requirement violates the U.S. Constitution’s 14^th amendment, the equal protection clause, in that it may or may not be included from community-to-community.

posted by PAA Online , 10:46 AM
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NCSL Estimates 2013 Increase for Michigan Tax Revenue

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) estimates in a recent report that Michigan will see an increase in tax revenue for fiscal year 2013. The report estimated the same for 44 other states.

The report did not include specific estimates for business taxes, noting that 2013 will be a transition year for Michigan as the vast majority of businesses move from the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) to the new Corporate Income Tax (CIT). Although not estimated, NCSL added that the CIT will result in “substantially less revenue” than the predecessor tax structure.

Overall, the report estimates a 1-percent revenue increase for the state. The most significant increase coming in real estate transfer tax revenue, estimated at 7 percent. Personal income tax is estimated to increase 4.3 percent and general sales tax follows with an estimated 2.4 percent increase.

posted by PAA Online , 10:45 AM
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Last Week's Survey Results

The question in last week’s PAAdvisory was: Which candidate for U.S. Senate do you prefer, incumbent Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) or GOP challenger Peter Hoekstra (R)?

Mr. Hoekstra won this poll with 57% of the vote. Senator Stabenow received 43%.

posted by PAA Online , 10:44 AM
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PAAdvisory Briefs

Fire, Environmental Protection Topic of Latest Snyder EO

Governor Rick Snyder issued Executive Order 2012-14 on Wednesday, transferring the Aboveground Storage Tank Program and the Underground Storage Tank program to the Bureau of Fire Services in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Both programs had previously been within the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which will retain jurisdiction over leaking underground storage tanks.

Mitalent.org Goes Up, Comes Down

The state’s new website designed to connect employers with those seeking employment was launched Monday. However, it found itself quickly overwhelmed and subsequently crashed shortly thereafter. The new site, Mitalent.org, is a priority of Governor Snyder and, according to the Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB), should be operational early next week.

Hackel Talking Governor Bid

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel entertained the notion of a bid for the Democratic nomination for Michigan Governor in 2014. During a meeting with a Southeast Michigan news radio team from WWJ 950 AM, Mr. Hackel stated that others have been encouraging him to consider running, but that he is focusing on his current position.

Retail Claims Savings Under Item Pricing Repeal

Michigan Retailers Association President James Hallan cited numbers this week showing the right direction for grocery retailers since the repeal of Michigan’s item pricing law. Hallan commented that grocery prices in Michigan have increase 2.5 percent from the first half of 2011 to the first half of 2012, below the national average of 3.7 percent. Additionally, retail employment has risen for the first time since 2002.

posted by PAA Online , 10:43 AM
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Question of the Week 10/5/12

posted by PAA Online , 10:06 AM
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