After World War II general George Marshall helped create a plan whereby the United States assisted war ravaged Europe to rebuild with an aggressive economic aid package. Similarly Michigan must be classified as an economically distressed region in order to qualify for Federal assistance.
During the early 1980’s we had TRA which stood for the Trade Readjustment Act. These programs through the TRA helped workers get job retraining while maintaining a minimal standard of living. An example is extended unemployment benefits and educational assistance. My proposal to assist displaced workers is to allow Michigan Workers who are both unemployed and low income to be added to a subsidized federal health care plan that would allow these folks to continue to receive benefits without having to worry about losing their house or being bankrupted by outrageous medical bills.
This plan would serve a two-fold purpose. First of all, it would maintain purchasing power within the downriver region while we try to buy time to rebuild our economy. Secondly, it would allow unskilled or semi-skilled workers to train for jobs that are in demand in Michigan. The days are over when you can walk in and get a good paying job with minimal skills. We must now focus on those jobs that are in demand with higher skills.
We have a tremendous shortage of health care professionals in this state. The Downriver Region is well positioned to get economic benefits from a program that Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano has pushed for several years which is called the Aerotropolis. Although his plan for 60,000 jobs may be a bit ambitious; especially in these difficult economic times, our proximity to Metro Airport can prove to be a tremendous economic engine for this region and beyond. HOWEVER, we must be prepared to utilize our local community colleges and universities to prepare for this tremendous opportunity.
Small Business and Corporations:
Businesses and their associates are unduly burdened by high health care and prescription drug costs that are no longer affordable. The current system of health care is not working, especially when over 50,000,000 Americans are without health insurance. The partnership between business and government must increase the number of workers who qualify for subsidized health care. By doing so we will allow businesses to stay in the counties and continue paying taxes and employing persons with good paying jobs. If government is not aggressively involved in helping to provide subsidized health care, we risk losing employees and businesses forever.
In Michigan we currently have a program known as MI Child which allows lower to middle income persons to place their children on a health insurance program with minimal costs. By making some simple changes in the Medicaid insurance program, by allowing higher co-pays and deductibles we will be in a position where we can insure many more workers. Michigan can help out its forgotten people by allowing workers who are retraining and determined to keep their children in this state with the incentive of health care coverage along with expanded unemployment assistance that was available during the TRA era of the early 1980’s. Our Downriver Region can be strong again.
STRENGTHEN SCHOOLS AND OPEN THE DOORS OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ALL CITIZENS:
We have to get to these kids early on with the importance of reading, writing, and math. This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart because my wife is an elementary school teacher. If we can prevent the repetition of the drop-out rate we can rid ourselves of this ugly problem.
Where do we start?
Certainly not in middle school or high school. By that time, we will have lost these children while they are running rampant with drugs, teenage pregnancy, and crimes, further perpetuating that miserable and horrible cycle. We have to get children, even as early as pre-school, to become literate so that they have a foundation of encouragement and success for the rest of their lives.
Head Start should be strengthened in the state of Michigan. Since Michigan will save money from prison reforms under my plan, we will direct some of the savings to the Head Start programs not only in low income areas but also in middle class suburbs. This must be done since statistics show that Michigan still lags behind other states in the graduation rates along with those who attend colleges and universities. This is due to the fact that we lived and died with the auto industry. When times were good in the 1990's our children had little incentive to further their education since many were able to get a good wage with minimal education and skills. If we do this, we will move ahead and create an environment that encourages learning and lowers the likelihood of dropping out of school.
PRISON REFORM:
Michigan’s prison system is bankrupting this state. Currently we spend 2 billion dollars a year or 20% of our state budget and get very little in return. This state has to push for more reforms that direct low level offenders into community programs. We must expand boot camps for both juveniles and adults. Our current system is an absolute failure, both financially and socially. If we focus on retraining these juvenile offenders and adult offenders, this state will benefit tremendously. These folks who participate in a boot camp program will get the lesson of their life without focusing on how to commit more crimes while being locked up in our prison system.
Even conservative think-tanks believe that, following the lead of other states, Michigan can save a minimum of $200,000,000 per year. Some estimates are as high as $400,000,000, but once again we cannot be too optimistic in our projections. A few million here and a few million there and we are now in a position to start helping the hard working citizens of Michigan who tough it out every day by pulling themselves by their boot straps. Not everyone has a wealthy daddy to pay the bills for them.
MICHIGAN’S ENERGY NEEDS:
Several hours southeast of Michigan lies one of the greatest basins of coal in the U.S. We could be helping our good friends in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia while we can significantly reduce our oil dependence on foreign countries. Many of those nations have a profound hatred for us and only deal with us because of the almighty greenback. By allowing greater utilization of coal resources in the U.S, especially in northern industrial states such as Michigan, we will be reducing the volatility of the oil futures market which has had a destructive impact on the average Michigan family. When speculators and the oil ministers of OPEC realize that we are no longer going to take it, we will be in a stronger bargaining position.
We have won two world wars and have sacrificed so much blood and lives, we must be prepared to have an aggressive alternative program to reduce this dependence on nations who have not been good to us. With that being said, we must also be aggressive in harnessing solar, wind, and other energy alternatives. Our survival is dependent on finding a reasonably priced energy alternative.
OUR DOWNRIVER SENIORS:
Michigan and Downriver senior citizens are unduly burdened by our relatively high property tax rate. Although many have been aided by the Headlee Amendment, they still have not received additional relief property tax assistance since the Michigan Homestead Rebate. The maximum allowable amount has been at $1,200 for over 20 years. I propose a modest increase to $1,400. Though this increase is small, it will help out a population that has been ravaged with high health care and prescription drug costs.
We have to concentrate on utilizing all available resources to help out our senior citizen population. Many of these citizens are not aware of the programs that are available. Millions of dollars in federal and private grants are not utilized because people are not aware of the programs that exist. If we have a massive educational program with minimal costs, it will pay tremendous dividends in further easing the burden on these senior citizens. Let us utilize new legislation on the federal and state level to further help out senior citizens. Many senior citizens are not aware of free or reduced prescription programs that are sponsored by drug companies. It is essential that every senior citizen be made aware of such programs.
DETROIT WATER AND SEWER BOARD:
At this time the representation that suburban resident receive on this board is a slap in the face to the downriver region. Multiple excuses are given on why water and sewer rates increased as they did. Many citizens, along with myself, believe that this water board is an example of mismanagement. We need to have responsible and honest formulas implemented to determine what reasonable rates should be passed onto suburban customers. I would propose that suburban members be given more power to help make final decisions that affect rate increases. This would not be a takeover. This would simply be a step towards fair representation.