U.S. Senator Carl Levin Will Not Run In 2014

United States Senator Carl Levin (D-Detroit), Michigan’s senior Senator and Chair of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, has announced that he will not seek re-election in 2014, ending a nearly 35 year career in the United States Senate.

First elected in 1978, Senator Levin took office in 1979 after defeating former Senator Robert Griffin (R-Traverse City) and is the longest serving member of the U.S. Senate from Michigan having recently cast his 12,000^th vote. Senator Levin had been a member and President of the Detroit City Council and is an attorney.

Senator Levin’s statement explained that he had determined he would best serve the citizens of Michigan and the United States by focusing these next two years on doing his job without the distraction of campaigning to keep his job.

Senator Levin’s decision leaves an open U.S. Senate seat for the first time in 20 years and will result in considerable maneuvering on the part of both Democrats and Republicans to be their respective party’s nominee for what promises to be an extremely expensive race in 2014. Names being thrown around in Democratic circles include attorney and Democratic financier Mark Bernstein, U.S. Congressman John Dingell’s wife and Democrat Party powerbroker Debbie Dingell, and current U.S. Congressman Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield).

On the GOP-side, even more names have surfaced, including current Lt. Governor Brian Calley, State Senator Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw) as well as any number of sitting U.S. Representatives such as Dave Camp (R-Midland), Justin Amash (R-Cascade Township), and Mike Rogers (R-Brighton).

posted by PAA Online , Friday, March 8, 2013 10:15 AM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

Onward And Upward - Blues Bills Head To Governor...Again

Early this week, the State Senate unanimously concurred in the House versions of the Blue Cross Blue Shield reform legislation, Senate Bills 61 and 62, without the controversial abortion language that resulted in Governor Snyder veto of the measures last session. The approval sends the legislation to the Governor’s desk where all signs indicate he will sign it…this time.

The legislation essentially mirrors the package from last year and proposes to change the Blues into a nonprofit mutual company and treat it largely like any other insurer in the market. The company would lose its tax exempt status, repeal PA 350, and no-longer have involvement from the Attorney General in rate increase requests. Further, the proposal calls for the Blues to pay $1.5 billion over 18 years into an independent nonprofit working towards the overall improvement of the state’s health.

As soon as the legislation is signed into law by the Governor, the process of transitioning to a nonprofit mutual will begin and will likely run through the end of 2013.

posted by PAA Online , 10:14 AM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

Detroit City Council Appeals Financial Emergency Declaration

A hearing will take place Tuesday of next week as the Detroit City Council has decided to appeal Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s declaration of a financial emergency in the City of Detroit. The current emergency financial manager law, PA 72 of 1990, allows either the chief administrator or the governing body of a local unit to appeal such a declaration so although Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has publicly disagreed with the Council’s decision to appeal, he can do nothing to stop it.

The Mayor has been open to considerable criticism in recent days from Detroit lawmakers and announced mayoral candidates as he has stated that an emergency financial manager is going to be appointed soon and it is time for the city to “get on with this.”

The City Council voted 7-1 to appeal the decision – however, the same Public Policy Polling poll that has Governor Snyder’s approval rating below 40 percent (see related story) has 57 percent favoring the Governor’s decision with regard to Detroit.

posted by PAA Online , 10:13 AM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

No Sales Tax Increase Vote As Senate Adjourns And Passes Deadline

One of the plans to raise the $1.2 billion Governor Snyder and others advocate is necessary for increased road and infrastructure funding in Michigan that has received the most airtime in recent days is the possibility of increasing Michigan’s Sales Tax rate from 6 percent to 7 percent. Under one iteration, the new revenue would be earmarked directly to road funding. Under another, the existing sales tax collected on gasoline would be moved to fund roads and the new revenue from the increased percentage point would go to education.

Under either plan though, in order to have the potential for a Sales Tax rate increase on the May 2013 ballot, the Senate would have had to act on the measure no later than Thursday, March 7^th. The required action did not take place.

The next regularly scheduled election is not until the August 2014 Primary; placing the issue in front of Michigan voters on a statewide special ballot would cost an estimated $10 million.

Legislative leaders have indicated their desire and hope that the road and infrastructure funding issue can be resolved by the 4^th of July.

posted by PAA Online , 10:13 AM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

March 1st Survey Results

In the March 1^st edition of PAAdvisory, readers were asked if they would support an increase in the Michigan Sales Tax rate from 6 percent to 7 percent to provide additional funding for road/infrastructure.

The responses were nearly evenly split, with 48 percent responding “yes,” and 52 percent responding “no.”

posted by PAA Online , 10:12 AM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

PAAdvisory Briefs

Table Set for Special Election in 27^th Senate Seat

The special election to replace former State Senator John Gleason, now Genesee County Clerk/Register of Deeds, is next Tuesday and although there are 7 candidates in the race, it will likely come down to State Representative Jim Ananich (D-Flint) and State Representative Woodrow Stanley (D-Flint) in the heavily Democratic seat. Unions have been somewhat split in their endorsements.

Dem Polling Continues to Show Snyder Down to Potential Challengers

Democratic firm Public Policy Polling released yet another poll this week showing Governor Rick Snyder’s job approval rating at 37 percent and disapproval numbers at 54 percent. Further, the poll showed the Governor trailing three potential Democratic challengers Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, U.S. Congressman Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield) and former U.S. Congressman Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) by anywhere from 4 to 7 percent.

Same-sex Marriage Decision On-Hold

With the United States Supreme Court set to decide this year on the constitutionality of state-level same-sex marriage statutes, a Federal Judge in Detroit decided this week that he would await the higher Court’s decision. U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman stated his hope that the Supreme Court’s decision, expected in June, would provide his Court with direction.

January Unemployment Holds Steady

The state’s unemployment rate held steady at 8.9 percent for the month of January, although overall employment did increase by 4,000 to 4.227 million. The unemployment rate two years prior in January of 2011 was 11 percent. The news was even better in the state’s largest labor market, the Detroit-Warren-Livonia statistical area, where unemployment dropped from 10.7 to 10.6 percent with unemployment down by 2,000 and employment up by 4,000.

Former Rep. John Maynard Passes

Former State Representative John Maynard passed away last October 30^th although his death became known to the House of Representatives and most Lansing circles only recently. He served in the House from 1975 until 1990 representing St. Claire Shores. He served in the Korean War and on the St. Clair Shores City Council prior to his election to the House, and even tried to make a comeback in recent years, running for the House against former Representative Frank Accavitti and current Representative Sarah Roberts (D-St. Claire Shores).

posted by PAA Online , 10:11 AM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

Question of the Week 3/8/2013

posted by PAA Online , 10:00 AM
LINK DIRECTLY TO THIS ARTICLE

This Week's Newsletter

Past Newsletters