Roads, taxes, education on legislators’ agendas for 2015

Local districts have plans in place for winter

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Now that lawmakers have been sworn in for a new term, what’s on their plate for 2015?

The Sentinel checked in with legislators representing St. Clair Shores in Lansing to find out.

State House District 18 Rep. Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores, said she feels the Legislature, as a whole, has to make finding road funding a priority.

“Whether that’s passage of the ballot initiative to increase the sales tax to 7 percent (or another option), we need to figure out a plan,” Roberts said.

The abysmal condition of the state’s roads and the looming plan to fix them was a large topic of conversation at the end of the last legislative session. Voters will be asked to decide whether to improve the increase earmarked for road repairs during a special election in May.

Roberts and state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, R-Harrison Township, were sworn in for the new legislative term Jan. 1. Because of redistricting, Brandenburg’s District 8 now includes St. Clair Shores, along with Harrison Township, Mount Clemens and various other Macomb County communities.

Brandenburg said his top priority is rolling back the state income tax by 0.1 points until it is down to 3.9. He said the rate is at 4.25 right now after being frozen there in 2011 by Gov. Rick Snyder, R-Michigan, because of the economy at the time.

He said 0.1 points is roughly $175 million, so if it is rolled back by that much for each of the next four years, it’s a $700 million tax cut.

“That’s my No. 1 priority. That’s what I’m coming out of the gate with,” he said.

Aside from roads, Roberts said the Legislature needs to continue rebuilding Michigan’s economy.

She said she’d like to see a bigger focus on job retraining efforts and, also, more career-technical and vocational training in high schools. And, Roberts said, it’s important to keep a closer eye on for-profit companies that run charter schools.

“I want to make sure that our taxpayer money that funds education is going to education and not in the pockets of for-profit companies,” she said. “Working on some stronger standards and support systems to make sure our kids are getting a good education here in Michigan.”

She said that’s something that needs a bipartisan solution.

“I think the Republicans are aware that there are some problems when it comes to some of these for-profit companies that claim they’re providing an education for our children,” Roberts said. “They still get the same education dollars. It’s all of our taxpayer money, and that’s why I feel that’s something important we should be looking at.”

Brandenburg said he’s also hoping to work on some election ballot reform.

“We have worked for the last four years to try to get the ‘dark side’ of the bureaucracy under control,” he said, adding that he is still trying to cut through red tape in the treasury, Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environmental Quality. “They’re going to have to come around.”

He said the challenge for the state now is to keep the economy moving in a positive direction.

“I’d love to see car sales get up into the 17 million-a-year range,” he said. “Along with that, keep creating a friendly business climate in Michigan; that really has to be done because we have to concentrate on creating the jobs. That’s the only way we’re going to get our population back.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Kristyne E. Demske at kdemske@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1041.

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