[nfbmi-talk] FW: eliminating mcb funding?

[Fred Wurtzel]

  _____  

From: Michigan Comm for the Blind Vision 20/20 List
[mailto:MCB2020-L at LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV] On Behalf Of joe harcz Comcast
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 12:48 PM
To: MCB2020-L at LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV
Subject: eliminating mcb funding?

 

Bouchard announces government spending reform proposals

 

http://michiganmessenger.com/35588/bouchard-announces-government-spending-

Michigan Messengerreform-proposals

Bouchard announces government spending reform proposals

By

Todd A. Heywood

3/9/10 7:45 AM

Digg

Tweet

 

Oakland County Sheriff and GOP candidate for governor Mike Bouchard
announced his government spending reform proposals in Saginaw Monday.

 

According to a

press release

on his campaign website, Bouchard's proposal includes:

Block quote start

 

Eliminating the Michigan Business Tax and replacing the business tax system
with one that is low, easy to comply with and makes Michigan globally
competitive.

 

. Moving all future public employees, including school district, local
government, and public higher education employees, to a defined contribution
plan

from a defined benefit plan.

 

. Creating a cafeteria-style health-care plan option for all three branches
of government. Employees would have two or three choices and can pay for
enhanced

options or choose reduced coverage. Universities, school districts and local
units of government could opt in to lower their insurance rates.

 

. Requiring a two-thirds vote in the Legislature for tax increases and hikes
in total state spending that outpace prior year private sector spending
(Gross

Domestic Product minus inflation.) This will protect taxpayers and
businesses now and in the future. Bouchard proposed this twice while he was
a leader

in the Senate.

 

. Increasing government transparency by requiring state agencies to post
every check written online for taxpayers to review, and by posting state
employee

salary and benefit information, including unfunded liability information.

 

. Systematically reviewing every state agency for efficiency and eliminating
optional programs that duplicate federal ones.

 

. Having the Legislature become part-time with lawmakers getting part-time
pay, and requiring that lawmakers have a budget in place by May 15 or have
their

pay docked for each day it's delayed.

 

. Creating a two-year rolling budget process based on externally verified
numbers that looks ahead three years so lawmakers and the governor can plan
for

the future and make budget adjustments as needed.

Block quote end

 

Not included in this "Principles of Lasting Prosperity" proposal was

his plan to privatize public rest areas,

and eliminating funding for the Michigan Commission for the Blind and other
disabled Michigan residents.

 

Bouchard is battling Attorney General Mike Cox, Ann Arbor Businessman Rick
Snyder, Holland Congressman Pete Hoekstra, and State Sen. Tom George for the

GOP nomination for governor.

Polls have put him fourth in the race,

with Hoekstra up over Cox, followed by Snyder.