[nfbmi-talk] what a puff peice this is

[joe harcz Comcast]

Yes, and he runs the B.S. for Blind Persons under LARA oh so well too.

 

What a puff piece this story is.

Joe

 

 

State regulations chief: Government can be a roadblock or a motivator By Steven R. Reed Gannett Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder welcomed Steve Arwood into his

administration in early 2011 and made him the state's chief regulatory officer 10 months ago, putting him in charge of a massive department with dozens

of operations that touch your wallet, workplace and home. Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) is responsible for everything from the people and policies

that affect utilities, alcoholic beverages, businesses and the recommendations of a 10-member panel that considers petitions to add conditions for the

legal use of medical marijuana. "It's the health and safety of 10 million people through everything we regulate," Arwood, back in state government for

the first time since 1998, said of the responsibilities housed in LARA. Arwood, 51, had been in his $151,500-a-year job barely six weeks when he voted,

as the newest of three members on the Local Emergency Loan Board, to approve Kevyn Orr as Detroit's emergency manager. At the start of his tenure, he'd

agreed that Unemployment Insurance Agency officials would not show up at administrative fraud hearings unless at least $15,000 was at stake - even though

the Legislature had just lowered the fraud threshold to $3,500. "He isn't afraid to tell people what he thinks," said John Truscott, former press secretary

to three-term Gov. John Engler and now president of the Truscott Rossman public relations firm in Lansing. During his career, Arwood has cycled between

government, conservation and entrepreneurship - holding at least 15 jobs since graduating from the James Madison College public affairs program at Michigan

State University in 1986. He joined Snyder's team in March 2011 as senior deputy director of LARA before becoming director of the Michigan Unemployment

Insurance Agency two months later. Soon after he arrived, the Unemployment Insurance Agency - $3.9 billion in debt - was faulted in a state audit report

for failing to identify more than $72 million in overpayments to unemployed workers and failing to pursue fraudulent-claim penalties worth as much as $237

million. It fell to Arwood to respond to the audit and identify reasons for the laxity and to implement solutions. "We can and will do better," he said.

A year later, a helpful Legislature, the sale of more than $3.3 billion in unemployment bonds, a tax increase on businesses and a six-week reduction in

benefit payments combined to make the agency financially sound. In November 2012, Arwood became acting director of LARA, a position that became permanent

in January. "Steve is a talented and experienced professional whose strong leadership has been instrumental in the reinvention of Michigan, and I can't

think of a better person to take on this important role" of creating a more practical and efficient regulatory system, Snyder said. Arwood said government

can be a roadblock or a motivator. "I think government can be better. Government can be closer to the customer. ... I'm an advocate of good government,"

he said. "Let's put it that way. Good government is government that knows its place in a lot of what we do and what we're sent here to do. Reform isn't

always about dealing with the critical elements of health and safety, he said. Often it's about paper, process, fax machines and duplicative forms. "When

I say 'good government,' I say, 'How do we get this process closer to the person' so that we're both effective in our regulation, but we're pleasant, we're

quick, we're expedient while protecting the core values? he said. Doug Rothwell, president and CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan and Arwood's mentor

at the Michigan Jobs Commission during the Engler administration, said Arwood won't just maintain the status quo. "He's either going to start them up or

turn them upside down," he said. Additional Facts Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Director: Steve Arwood Employees: 2,745 2013-14 budget: $502,918, 700

Mission: Support business growth and job creation while safeguarding Michigan's citizens through a simple, fair, efficient and transparent regulatory structure

Source: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs