Archive for the ‘Sample Letters’ Category
May 2nd, 2011
April 22, 2011
Weekly local legislator roll call report for Romeo Area Tea Party
This report contains no votes because the Legislature held no voting sessions this week, but House and Senate appropriations committees did a great deal of work on the state budget for next year.
Notable Committee Actions
The Senate Appropriations Committee completed its first round of work on the state budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2011. The budget bills it reported to the full Senate would spend $500 million more than Gov. Rick Snyder recommended on public schools, the single largest area of state spending, revising a proposed $300 per student cut to just $170.
The Senate’s extra school spending would be filled mainly by spending less on welfare and prisons. The Senate budget also requires school employees to pay at least 80 percent of the cost of their health insurance fringe benefits, and caps the school district’s share at $13,000. In addition, it would end the practice of giving school districts a full-day’s funding for half-day kindergarten students.
A House appropriations subcommittee approved per-pupil school aid cuts that essentially mirror the $300 per student reduction Gov. Snyder recommended.
On higher education, the Senate budget went along with Gov. Snyder’s proposal to spend 15 percent less than last year on state universities, but stripped-out a provision authorizing deeper cuts if a university raises tuition more than 7.1 percent. Community colleges would get the same amount of money from the state as last year.
Finally, the Senate Appropriations Committee also sliced in half the $50 million amount Gov. Snyder requested for “economic development” tax breaks and subsidies to corporations, and cut the amount he wants to set aside for film subsidies from $25 million to $10 million.
Recently Introduced Bills of Interest
Senate Bill 270 (Authorize school recreation millages)
Introduced by Sen. John Gleason (D) to allow school districts to also be municipal “recreational authorities,” with the power to levy up to one-mill of property tax for swimming pools, recreation centers, public auditoriums, conference centers and parks, with the approval of voters in each municipality in which the school district is located. The law itself is silent on whether the recreational facilities of an “authority” may be school facilities themselves, but they would have to be open to the public. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.
House Bill 4560 (Authorize 5-mill property tax increase for school buses and computers)
Introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows (D) to allow school districts to increase property taxes by up to 5 mills for 10 years to buy or fix school buses, and to buy computers and software, with the money passing through a “sinking fund.” Note: Since new operating expense millages were prohibited by the 1994 Proposal A initiative, and these items may be considered operating expenses, the bill could potentially require a 3/4 majority vote, which is required by the Constitution for revisions of an initiative adopted by popular vote. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.
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April 30th, 2011
by Jean Obrecht
A controversial issue of great importance and concern is facing the United States Congress and the American people: Should the current debt ceiling be raised? Opinion is sharply divided, not only between the Republicans and Democrats, but also between individual members of both parties.
The current debt carried by the Treasury of the United States is escalating daily and will reach its limit of $14.3 trillion by mid-May. To help get a picture of what $14 trillion looks like, you would have to spend $400,000 per hour for 4,000 years to reach $14 trillion. If you do the math, it actually amounts to (written out) $14,016,000,000,000. This is the amount of money on which we are paying interest.
We had no debt to speak of back in 1969, but since 2002, the debt ceiling has been raised by Congress nine times. The most recent increase in the debt ceiling, raising it to $14.3 trillion, was passed into law on February 12, 2010. Congress has never failed to raise the debt limit when needed and our country has never defaulted.
The President and White House officials have warned of global, economic Armageddon if Congress does not act to raise the debt limit. U.S. Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, stated that failure to raise the debt limit would result in payment default, which, he claims, would be catastrophic. (Some of these dire predictions and threats are thought to be an exaggeration or overstatement.) According to the newsletter “The Economist,” default would only occur from failure to pay the interest on the debt, and their figures reveal that enough revenue would be available for that purpose. However, the Treasury may not have sufficient funds to meet other obligations such as Social Security, which would cause hardship for recipients, provoke resentment against the administration, and cause embarrassment for the U.S.
Many Republicans oppose raising the debt ceiling in order to force Congress to stop the excessive spending and borrowing, which has caused this massive debt. House Speaker John Boehner, (R-Ohio) said that any increase in the debt limit must be accompanied by “meaningful” spending cuts, which leads one to believe he may consider a vote to raise the limit – with conditions. Senator Marco Rubio, (R-Florida) stated: “I will vote to defeat an increase in the debt limit unless it is the last one we ever authorize and is accompanied by a plan for fundamental tax reform, will cut discretionary spending, and includes a balanced budget amendment and reforms to save Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.” Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) also insists on a balanced budget amendment before voting, and he threatened a filibuster to achieve that end. (A balanced budget amendment has been proposed by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).) Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) emphatically states that he is opposed to raising the debt ceiling. Some members of both parties are still undecided. Americans (68%) say they do not want the debt ceiling raised, but they are also against any reduction involving Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid.
Please review and consider the information presented here, do additional research, and give serious thought to the best resolution. After arriving at your decision, please contact our Senators and Representative, advising them of your opinion as to a “yes” or “no” vote on this vitally important issue. Please find contact information below.
Senator Carl Levin Senator Debbie Stabenow Rep. Candice Miller
269 Russell Senate Office Bldg. 133 Hart Senate Office Bldg. 1034 LOHB
Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington D.C. 20515
202-224-6221 202-224-4822 202-225-2106
202-224-1388 fax 202-228-0325 fax 202-226-1169 fax
http://levin.senate.gov/ http://stabenow.senate.gov/ http://candicemiller.house.gov/
October 2nd, 2010
May 24th, 2010
April 17th, 2010
April 17th, 2010
April 17th, 2010
Sample Letter discussing the need for Tort Reform in any Health Care Reform Bill. Health Care Reform Tort Reform
Sample Letter Opposing Nationalization of Health Care Reform. Health Care Reform Summary Opposition
Sample Letter Opposing Abortion Language in various Health Care Reform Bills. Health Care Reform No Abortions
March 17th, 2010