Capitol Chaos, September 28, 2009

News of the Day
House and Senate canceled Sunday sessions

When the House and Senate convene tomorrow morning, they will have less than 48 hours to pass a budget or force the state to shut down.

House speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) announced Saturday that they had canceled sessions scheduled for Sunday afternoon. However, the three scheduled conference meetings were convened. They included committees on the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education.

Session was not held today (Monday) because of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.

Over the weekend Mr. Bishop expressed confidence that a deal might at last be close. He said negotiators had resolved one of the five troublesome budgets although he declined to say which one. He remained confident that the logjam might finally break and the House would pass the 2009-10 budget based on all-cuts, no tax increases model to which he and Mr. Dillon agreed.

Bishop loses straw poll

A straw poll conducted at this past weekend’s Republican Party conference on Mackinac Island gave business executive Rick Snyder the nod in the Republican gubernatorial contest, while Sen. Michelle McManus won the secretary of state race and Bill Schuette the attorney general nod.

Leading the attorney general’s race, Mr. Schuette, the former Court of Appeals judge, state senator and congressman, took 57.5% of the 1,212 votes cast. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop captured 36.8% while Sen. Bruce Patterson received 5.7%.

In the gubernatorial straw poll, 1,244 votes were cast. Mr. Snyder prevailed with 31% to 24.1% for Attorney General Mike Cox, 24% for Oakland County sheriff Michael Bouchard, 17.6% for U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra and 3.3% for state Sen. Tom George.

Ms. McManus took 34% of the 1,186 votes cast for secretary of state, while Sen. Cameron Brown received 26.2%, Calhoun County Clerk and Register of Deeds Anne Norlander received 20.9% and Rep. Paul Scott took 17.9%.

Just the Facts – Powers and Duties given to State Government by HB 5345
Speaker Dillon’s proposed mandatory government-run health plan

Each day we will provide some of the powers and duties that this legislation gives to state government that normally is provided at the local level by local school board members, city councils, county commissioners, etc.

• The Michigan health benefits program board is created as an autonomous entity in the department of management and budget. Sec. 3(1)
• The board shall exercise its powers independent of the director of the department of management and budget. Sec. 3(1)
• The state employer shall serve as chairperson. Sec. 5(1)
• After the first meeting, the board shall meet at least monthly. Sec. 5(1)
• State health scheme vs. federal health reform
  Would all public employees have exactly the same health insurance?
  State Plan
  No. Public employees would lose the plans they have today and would be forced to choose from a limited menu of plans mandated and designed by the state-run program.
  
  Federal Health Reform Plan
  No. National health care reform would preserve choice for people who have insurance today and extend coverage to provide affordable choices to people who are presently uninsured.

School Reform
House Bills 4787, 4788, 4789 – School Reform/Takeover

These bills allow so-called “failing schools” to be targeted for special help. Schools with chronically low student achievement would be placed under the oversight of a state reform/design officer and operated as a “redesigned school” with modified staffing rules that could be negotiated with employees.
The district could authorize special charter schools, or “turnaround schools.” That would provide students with an alternative education option.
These bills have passed the House and have been referred to the Senate.
The reform measures in these bills are as follows:

• Provide for improving the education of children and working conditions of employees.
• Control over the school is given to someone with experience and the authority to reform the school.
• Protects the rights of employees to bargain changes in working conditions. It also expands bargaining rights to include the ability to bargain over the privatization of support services, the terms of a leave of absence to teach in a charter school and the first day of school.
• Creation of a turnaround charter school is the last resort, not the automatic first option. Extensive oversight of the charter schools is provided
• Establishes alternative routes to certification.

MEA supports these bills.

Make sure you get this information out to your membership.

Rep. Calley on the Today Show

If you haven't seen this in the news, take an opportunity to read the story and watch the video. As Matt Lauer said, "No good deed goes unpunished"

More Chaos at the Capitol

Capitol Chaos – Monday, Sept. 21

News of the Day
Dillon, Bishop say votes will come on budget this week

Speaker of the House Andy Dillon (D-Redford Township) and Sen. Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) told Detroit Economic Club members today that they expect to act on several budget bills by the end of the week—and plan to have the entire budget on the governor’s desk before the September 30 deadline.

At this point, it looks like the budget will feature massive cuts, including cuts to education.

Dillon acknowledges that getting the rest of the House to sign on to $1.2 billion cuts that he agreed to won’t be easy, specifically citing cuts to Community Health, Human Services and revenue sharing as problematic.

Curiously, Dillon told the crowd of 150 that he would protect “life-and-death things like nursing homes, police and fire” but that “maybe the education things are more discretionary, even though they are our future.”

As for Dillon’s idea that “revenue enhancement bills” could soften the budget blows, Bishop said it wasn’t likely and that his members would vote against any tax increase that appears in the Senate.

Media coverage: http://www.freep.com/article/20090921/NEWS15/90921015/1319/Lawmakers--Budget-action-soon
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090921/POLITICS02/909210387/Bishop-keeps-veto-threat-in-mind-as-state-budget-moves-forward

Hear the entire address by clicking on both segments of WWJ Plus’“Michigan’s Countdown—Balancing the Budget” on the right side of your screen: http://www.wwj.com/pages/91467.php.


Don’t let up contacting legislators!

Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.
• Tell them to maintain funding for public education -- The only way to ensure our long-term economic recovery is to prepare our students for the jobs Michigan needs.
• Our leaders in Lansing must stop the political maneuvering around other issues (such as the mandatory health plan for public employees and ill-advised school reforms) -- It's time to focus on fixing our budget.
• The only way to fix our budget is to update our antiquated tax structure and bring in revenue from the areas of our economy that are growing (such as services).


Just the Facts
Speaker Dillon’s proposed mandatory government-run health plan

If you’re wondering what a worst case scenario might be under HB 5345, the proposed mandatory state-run health plan for public employees, take a look at North Carolina or New Jersey or West Virginia.

This year, North Carolina taxpayers will pay $250 million to bail out their plan. In two years, they’ll be paying $678 million because of cost overruns and little or no oversight. Investigators in New Jersey believe the state may have misspent $185 million in the last five years. And in West Virginia, the state is proposing to cut off all retirees from any health insurance coverage in order to balance its books.



Other Legislative News
Reform proposals on legislative agenda

While the budget and HB 5345 are front and center legislative news, there are two other packages of bills that would impact public education.

Rep. Tim Melton is the primary sponsor of legislation that would affect so-called “failing schools.” MEA supports House Bills 4787, 4788 and 4789 as a package as passed by the House. The bills have been referred to the Senate Education Committee. Go to www.legislature.mi.org and type in the bill numbers for more information.

Other legislation, primarily sponsored by Sen. Wayne Kuipers, would create new “neighborhood public schools.” MEA opposes Senate Bills 636, 637 and 638 because they create more charter schools. The bills passed the Senate Education Committee and are pending before the full Senate. To learn more, go to www.legislature.mi.gov and type in the bill numbers

Capitol Chaos, September 18

News of the Day

Public Hearings Continue on HB 5345

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan testified Thursday before a House panel considering House Bill 5345, a proposed mandatory state-run health plan for public employees. Asked if forcing workers into a state-run insurance program would save $900 million, as purported by bill sponsor Rep. Andy Dillon, Flanagan pegged the savings as "between zero and $900 million."

Flanagan told the House Public Employee Health Care Reform Committee that public schools might be able to further cut spending by consolidating services and wringing other efficiencies, though other expert witnesses have questioned the alleged savings in this proposal. Flanagan also told the panel that he didn't want to see his teacher-daughter lose her health benefits -- and, he said, collective bargaining helps public employees.

"I think people would be screwed if they weren't represented by unions," Flanagan told lawmakers.

Brian Morris, a senior consultant at Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Co., said based on the information he's seen in the revised white paper, he doesn't have an estimate on the possible savings.
Mr. Brian Morris, who is a health care actuary who works with public employers, told lawmakers he does see a potential for savings, particularly the part about administration of benefits, but savings are lowered when there are more than "tens of thousands" of benefit recipients in the pool.

Wayne Cass, chair of the Coalition of Labor Organizations at Michigan State University, said there is no guarantee that some employees won't see benefit reductions. The proposal doesn't address the real issue of rising health care costs.

The committee's next public hearing is Sept. 24.

Budget Drama

Budget Discussions Move to Committee

House and Senate leaders have named conferees to all appropriation subcommittees in order to reach agreement on the budget. It is reported that members of each of the conference committees will be working over the weekend with hopes of having consensus on the budget by Tuesday.

Serving on the K-12 School Aid Conference Committee are: Reps. Terry Brown, George Cushingberry, Chuck Moss and Senators Ron Jelinek, Cameron Brown and Mickey Switalski.


Just the Facts

Speaker Dillon’s Proposed Mandatory Government-run Health Plan (HB 5345) would end local control and eliminate collective bargaining over health benefits, gutting labor law protections that ensure employees have a voice in choosing the health insurance plan and doctor network that works best for them in their local areas. (Sec. 16)

More than MEA upset with Dillon

More and more labor leaders are calling Dillon out for his health care plan and his stance on the budget. Mark Gafney (state president of the AFL-CIO) is the latest to claim that Dillon is using public employees to launch a run at the Governor's office next year.

Once again, it appears that our elected leaders use (or abuse) public employees to advance their political careers.

Capitol Chaos...September 16 update

News of the Day
Budget Talks Continue

With only two weeks left before the start of the state’s fiscal year (and almost three months since school districts started their fiscal years), Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and House Speaker Andy Dillon settled on a “process” to break a logjam and address a $2.7 billion deficit. Several sticking points remain.

Issues that remain in contention between House and Senate negotiators include: cuts in college Promise scholarships; state aid to local governments; Medicaid; and the K-12 school aid budget. Senate Majority Leader Bishop continues to express strong opposition to new revenues. Speaker Dillon told Gongwers News Service that Democrats were “fighting to maintain funding for critical areas such Medicaid, early education, revenue sharing, and the Promise scholarships.” Avoiding Senate-passed reductions would require a deal between the House, Senate and Governor on new tax revenues – either by raising taxes and fees, reducing tax breaks, or trying other ways to generate more money. Senate Republicans would likely insist that any deal on new revenue include some form of “government reform.”

This afternoon, joint House-Senate conference committees were given the green light by legislative leaders to start meeting to begin negotiations to work out differences between the two Houses.

The chairs of the K-12 conference committee are Rep. Terry Brown and Senator Ron Jelinek.The other four members of the conference committee have not yet been announced.

Indications are that there is disagreement on how to approach the lack of revenue and how to make cuts if cuts have to be made.

Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.

Just the Facts
Speaker Dillon’s Proposed Mandatory Government-Run Health Plan

HB 5345 expands state government power over patients’ medical care and puts state government between patients and their doctors. Sec. 12(e) of HB 5345 mandates the use of “clinical advocates” with wide-ranging powers to review and approve (or reject) diagnoses and treatment plans agreed on by patients and their doctors.

Committee Notice
Public Employee Health Care Reform Committee

More testimony is scheduled to be heard on HB 5345 on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. The hearing will begin at 1 p.m. or after committees are given leave by the House to meet, whichever is later. The hearing will be held in room 519 of the House Office Building in Lansing. See attached list of committee members.

Testimony will be given by the following:

Mike Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Michigan Dept of Ed
Brian Morris, Senior Consultant, Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Co.
Richard Cauchi, Health Program Director, National Conference of State Legislatures
Wayne Cass, Chair of the Coalition of Labor Organizations at Michigan State University


Breaking News
Bouchard Names Land

Republican Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard announced in Detroit that Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land will be his running mate in his quest to win the 2010 gubernatorial election.

Granholm Recall Moves Forward

The Ingham County Elections Commission voted two to one to authorize a recall of Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Michigan Corrections Officer Paul Pache received the okay during his fourth appearance before the election panel.

Granholm’s attorney is considering an appeal even though he concedes that it will be very difficult to gather the 950,000 signatures necessary to put the recall before Michigan voters.

Reminder
Use of School E-mail
Many districts have policies about communicating with legislators on school time and equipment, so wait until you are away from school to contact your legislators or use your personal cell phone when you are off duty. To stay informed at home, sign up to receive the MEA Votes e-newsletter at newsletter@meavotes.org.

Stay tuned to your Inbox every day for updates or go online at http://www.myMEA.org for archives of all the materials.

Senator Whitmer stands up for kids!

Watch Senator Whitmer's (D-East Lansing) speech on the budget that Senate Republicans are pushing for this fiscal year. It is refreshing to hear a senator stand up for kids and students.

Contact Senator Cropsey and urge him to do what is best for the his constituent's children.

Say no to this budget that harms schools

House leaders are reportedly ready to approve the Senate budget that cuts more than $1 billion from the state budget. They are rushing to do something rather than taking the time to do the right thing.

For K-12 public education, per pupil funding would be reduced by $110 and almost all categorical funding would be eliminated -- a total slash of almost half a billion dollars.

Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Tell your state representative to just say NO to the disastrous Senate budget cuts.

• Tell them to maintain funding for public education -- the only way to ensure our long-term economic recovery is to prepare our students for the jobs Michigan needs.
• Our leaders in Lansing must stop the political maneuvering around other issues (such as the mandatory health plan for public employees and ill-advised school reforms) -- it's time to focus on fixing our budget.

The only way to fix our budget is to update our antiquated tax structure and bring in revenue from the areas of our economy that are growing (such as services).

As always, when contacting your representative do not use school computers, email addresses, or fax machines. Use your home email address and cell phone when sending emails and making calls

Another white paper

Last week, Speaker Dillon released another white paper on his website. This is the second attempt to try to explain the "savings" behind his health care proposal.

Video and transcripts of the testimony given at the hearings on Public Employee Health Care Reform is available for your review here

Budget solutions at the expense of schools

I ran across this article over the weekend discussing ideas to correct all that is wrong with the State of Michigan. Out of the 16 points listed in the article, 8 referred to changes to the k-16 educational system.

This is just another reason to become politcally active and contact your state representative and senator. Another budget crisis at the State level shouldn't be resolved at the expense of the K-16 system.