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Change to Washtenaw County H1N1 Public Clinics
- - October 29th, 2009
ATTENTION ALL WASHTENAW COUNTY RESIDENTS: Due to high demand, the Washtenaw County Public Health Department announced that the school-based H1N1 public clinics mentioned in yesterday's e-newsletter have been CANCELED and replaced with a larger public clinic. The new public clinic will be held on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center, 299 N. Hewitt Road in Ypsilanti. For more information about the public clinic, or to... more
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Staying Safe, Keeping Warm
- - October 28th, 2009
Fighting to Keep Michigan Residents Warm This Winter With winter fast approaching, our residents must be able to pay their electricity and heating bills. In our harsh Michigan winters, heating your home can be a matter of life and death. No one should have to choose between paying for electricity and putting food on the table. In an effort to ensure that every Michigan family stays safe this winter, I voted for a plan banning... more
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Investing in Michigan
- - October 6th, 2009
Budget Update as of Oct. 6, 2009, at 8:45 p.m. Michigan must fix a $2.8 billion deficit at a time when money the state takes in is falling. With unemployment at 15.2 percent, income, sales, and property tax revenues are plunging. Revenues are down by 35 percent since 2000. There's no question that our state government must cut back and tighten its belt. We need a leaner, more efficient government that squeezes more value out... more
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Budget Update: Avoiding a Prolonged Shutdown
- - October 1st, 2009
Budget Update as of Thursday, October 1, at 2:15 p.m. Here's what's happening at this hour: Interim budget keeps government going Early Wednesday morning, the House passed a continuation budget that keeps state government operating for 30 days. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to finalize this budget until nearly 2 a.m. today, forcing Michigan's government to shut down for nearly two hours. The good news is that this interim budget prevents a prolonged shutdown, keeps state... more
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Budget Update as of Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 at 11:30 a.m.
- - September 30th, 2009
As we face a midnight deadline to balance the budget, I want to let you know what's happening at the Capitol. This morning the House passed an interim budget to keep the government operating after midnight, if needed. However, I am doing everything possible to make the Legislature meets that deadline. Working late last night, my colleagues and I have now passed 9 of the 15 budgets that make up the overall state budget: Department... more
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Budget Update as of Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.
- - September 28th, 2009
Local governments rely on money from the state to pay for police and fire protection and other essential services. This revenue sharing is key to keeping our families and neighborhoods safe, yet funding for it has shrunk by more than $500 million since 2001. Michigan's communities have lost more than 4,000 firefighters and police officers since then. We cannot cut any more funding for those who put their lives on the line every day. We... more
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Budget Update as of Sept. 25, 2009, at 10:00 p.m.
- - September 25th, 2009
Budget Update as of Sept. 25, 2009, at 10:00 p.m. I remain very busy in Lansing as the Sept. 30 deadline to balance the budget draws near. Voting has just concluded for the evening but negotiations will continue all weekend. So far, my House colleagues and I have passed five of the 15 budgets that make up the overall state budget: Agriculture; Military and Veterans Affairs; Judiciary; Energy, Labor and Economic Growth; and Community Colleges... more
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Budget Update as of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009 at 5:15 p.m.
- - September 23rd, 2009
We have one week remaining before the Legislature must reach agreement on a balanced budget in order to avoid a government shutdown. The situation is changing every minute, but here's what we know right now: So far, seven of the 15 bipartisan conference committees have finalized their compromise budgets. These include budgets for Agriculture; Higher Education; Judiciary; Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth; School Aid; State Police; and Community Colleges. The House approved the first of... more
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Budget Update as of Monday, 9/21/09 at 5 p.m.
- - September 21st, 2009
It is a very busy time at the Capitol with the Sept. 30 deadline to balance the budget just nine days away. The conference committees appointed to find common ground on differing House and Senate versions of 15 bills that make up the state's overall budget started meeting today. It is my hope that the House will soon be able to start considering some final proposals. While it is the committees' job to cut more... more
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Strengthening Consumer Protections
- - September 11th, 2009
Preventing Identity Theft Earlier this week, the House passed my legislation to protect consumers from identity theft. As criminals try to steal personal and financial information, we must safeguard our consumers. This bill will crack down on the faceless predators who attempt to steal our identities, as well as protect consumers with tougher penalties on lawbreakers and strong preventative measures. Strengthening Protections for Seniors Elder abuse is a sad reality that happens too often. I... more