Today the Michigan Senate Democrats launched Michigan's first ever legislative caucus Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/... ) and Twitter page ( http://twitter.com/MISenDems ) A number of Senate Democratic members also have their own Facebook or Twitter accounts, but only a handful of other caucuses across the country are using these new media sites.
These new interactive tools will feature up-to-date information on legislation and issues of interest, offer people an insider perspective of the Capitol and focus on the Senate Democrats' priorities for Michigan. Also, both outlets will feature running commentary throughout Governor Jennifer Granholm's State of the State address next Tuesday, February 3, 2009.
Round of applause for our legiscritters - here is one very good thing they have managed to accomplish this year. MSHDA now has some new tools in the "Save the Dream" program to help people facing foreclosure - for the first time they will be able to refinance homes with an ARM, and also start a rescue program for refinancing people who have had trouble making payments.
The bills signed today create two new refinancing options to protect home ownership - an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) refinancing option that will help citizens get into fixed-rate mortgages and a "rescue" program that helps those who have been behind in their payments in the past, but are current now. The new tools are part of the "Save the Dream" initiative that makes housing counselors available to homeowners and raises awareness about avoiding foreclosure. The Save the Dream products and programs are operated and funded entirely by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
You still have to meet MSHDA requirements.
Both initiatives are targeted at existing homeowners. To qualify for one of the new loan programs, homeowners must meet the same income and sales price limits that other MSHDA loan products require. Household income must be under $108,000, and the purchase price of the home cannot exceed $224,500. The initiatives will be funded by taxable bonds, and homeowners will be responsible for the full value of their refinanced mortgages. The original mortgage does not have to be a MSHDA loan; however, the homeowner must meet MSHDA requirements for the refinance product. This qualifying information is available from approved lenders and directly from MSHDA.
Call this toll free number for assistance- 1-866-946-7432, or visit the MSHDA "Save the Dream" web page.
There are three different ceremonies with sponsoring legislators and the governor being held across the state today to celebrate the signing of these bills - one this morning in GR, one in Jackson (with Mark Schauer) this afternoon, and one later in Detroit.
Republicans. Please. Put the budget down and back slowly away. It's over. No one wants to talk about this anymore. No one wants to relive the pain of '07. We know you are responsible for the mess created over the service tax issue, and the guilt you feel must be unbearable, but please, try to get over it and move on now. We can't keep revisiting this issue and wasting valuable time.
The Michigan Senate on Thursday voted to give businesses a tax credit equal to the expenses they incurred to comply with the short-lived tax on services.
Democrats say the tax credit would be fiscally irresponsible.
But Republicans who hold the majority in the Senate say the legislation is needed because some businesses unfairly incurred costs getting ready for the new tax, which took effect for less than 24 hours before lawmakers repealed it Dec. 1. The service tax was passed in early October as part of a package of cuts and tax increases to deal with a budget shortfall.
It's unclear how much businesses paid over the two-month period to comply with the tax. But the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency estimates the proposed tax credit could cost state government an unknown and potentially significant amount.
Apparently they are trying to amend the income tax as well, creating a potential double credit. Talk about overkill. Senator Switalski tried to sweet talk Nancy Cassis off the ledge.
If I could read from the Senate Fiscal analysis it says, "the bill would also allow non-business tax payers under the individual income tax to claim the credit. The bill does not define what expenses would be eligible for inclusion under the credit or how a taxpayer should determine whether an expense was incurred to comply with the former Section 3d of the Use Tax Act. As a result, taxpayers that were not charged with collecting the tax, but may have had expenses determining whether their purchases would be subject to tax or how to account for such taxes in the course of their activities also would be able to claim the credit. The additional revenue loss under the bill from these taxpayers is also unknown and likely significant." It goes on to say that, "For these firms," it's talking about some business firms now, "because neither bill would prevent a taxpayer from claiming a credit on both returned-the MBT and the income tax-taxpayers would be eligible to claim a credit twice for the same expenses if both bills were enacted."
Well, you know I have to comment on the remarks earlier by my very good friend, the Senator from Novi, who I have great affection for and have publicly declared that affection on many occasions, but she has certainly provided us with a new definition of minimal because it is now $900.00 million as minimal. I just want to say that, Mr. President, I myself incurred some expenses getting ready for the sales tax and my expenses were well below the minimal amount of $900 million. In fact, my expenses were minuscule and even if I can claim them twice and double them, they will still be a very small amount. So it's with some misgivings that I actually rise up in opposition of this bill because I could financially benefit from its passage. But, I do have to say that it again is estimated at $100 million on this bill and it would not be fiscally responsible after what we've been through in the past year to pass this bill. I urge all members to vote against it.
No dice. They jumped. Passed both bills, insisting on the fiscal irresponsibility that got us here in the first place, and no answer on how we would go about paying for the hole they would create. So much for the cooperation and communication that Mike Bishop promised.
House Republicans want to play too- over the jump...
LANSING, Mich. -- State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer said Thursday he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg in the 2008 election after declining earlier overtures to enter the race.
"Tim Walberg is not doing the job," Schauer told The Associated Press on Thursday. "He is serving a very narrow interest. He's really been a servant of the Bush-Cheney administration and the extreme special interests in Washington."
-snip-
Schauer filed paperwork to run in the 7th District, which includes parts of seven counties in south-central Michigan. It has been targeted by Democrats because Walberg, of Tipton, failed to capture 50 percent of the vote in last year's election.
Schauer, who had pledged to Senate Democrats to serve out his full four-year term as minority leader through 2010, said he will keep being the Democratic leader while running for Congress. He said he changed his mind about running after being approached by both rank-and-file constituents and party leaders.
The push by others for him to join the race "almost became deafening," Schauer said.
According to our logs, they were still in Lansing. Hits in the middle of the night. 2:31 am. 3:33 am. And just now 4:57 am.
No MIRS, no Gongwer yesterday. Dave Eggert at the AP checked in 12:20, and the story was updated this morning to include the news that they were still there at 4:30 am.
Both the Democratic-led House and Republican-controlled Senate began swapping a slew of bills with spending guidelines for individual state departments for the budget year that starts Oct. 1. But bipartisan support was lacking as debate over bills rolled into early Thursday morning.
Senate Republicans approved 10 bills at spending levels about $163 million below Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm's recommendations. House Democrats, meanwhile, prepared separate bills that would spend more than the governor proposed, including doubling parts of her original 2.5 percent funding increase for public universities.
House providing funding, Senate shooting low (but not as low as they claim they need to shoot) and not a lot of details as of this morning. One interesting tidbit from the Detroit News-
Senate bills generally will call for spending less than Granholm has recommended for such departments as the State Police. House bills call for added spending on higher education.
Weren't the Republicans the ones running around with their hair on fire over prison reforms? And now they vote to cut the budget for the State Police? Very curious.
Craig DeRoche was obviously up way past his bedtime. There, there, Craig. It will be OK. Andy says so over the flip...
With the fewest total roll call votes held so far in a decade and no budget bills having passed the chamber, Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) said Wednesday that Democrats are "sick and tired of being part of the do-nothing Senate."
While Mr. Schauer acknowledged that the House has not yet moved on proposed tax increases, it is at least passing budget bills, but: "For better or worse, we're supposed to be a full-time Legislature, and yet the Senate seems incapable of moving anything."
Rumor has it they won't be moving much in August, either.
This will free up some Senators to... write for blogs!
Senate Democrats will be writing on ten issues that they would like to be working on, if only they could get their Republican friends to stop stalling on the budget. We are honored that they are going to be here to share their thoughts with us. We hope to do this on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but of course we can't hold them to any set schedule, just in case the Republicans actually decide to get some work done.
Senator Deb Cherry will be along shortly to kick off the series... stay tuned, and in the meantime, watch the video from Senator Schauer. It's a good one.
Thanks to the Senate Dems for providing this service. They are really on top of things.
Welcome back from vacation, colleagues. I know many of you considered this a "working" two week vacation, but for any of you who missed the news of the day, I'd like to briefly recap with a "While You Were Out" edition of Michigan happenings.
While you were out, Michigan State University right down the street here, was forced to increase tuition by 9.6% or about $800 a year. Let's call these what they are, folks, tax increases on students and their families.
Oakland University up by 13.9%, Central Michigan University up 21% over 4 years, Grand Valley State University up 9.9%, Eastern Michigan University up 9.5%, Lake Superior State University up 9.3%.
These university boards were forced to do this in large part because we had not given them any idea what amount of state resources we would provide. As Michael Boulous, executive director of the President's Council, State Universities of Michigan said, "The State of Michigan is balancing their books on the backs of the students and parents. It's very clear what they've done. Now the question is whether they'll continue to do it in 2008."
Will we?
If the Republicans have their way you will.
Senator Schauer has been one of the few Democrats who has been ready to meet this budget crisis head on all year- he stands up and tells it like it is, calmly, rationally, succinctly. He has no fear.
And for that, he gets huge rounds of applause.
Keep up the good work, Senator. I wish they were all like you.
