Job 1 for new governor: get people back to work
Staff Writer
| TOPIC | Snyder | Bernero |
|---|---|---|
| Jobs | Snyder said that the No. 1 reason why jobs are leaving Michigan is because of the Michigan Business Tax. Snyder would remove this tax and create a flat corporate income tax. Snyder also said that the regulatory climate in Michigan must change. He said Michigan needs to make it easier for businesses by streamlining permitting and inspection processes, expediting licensing renewals, and improving customer service to help businesses understand regulatory expectations. | Bernero would also like to see the removal of the Michigan Business Tax. He, like Snyder, said jobs would return when the business climate is friendlier. To do that, he said, the credit crunch has to relax so that more businesses can get going. He would set up a “Main Street Bank,” a state bank that would partner with local Michigan lenders — not compete with them — to help them make more private sector loans to Michigan businesses. He also wants to create more manufacturing jobs in the “green” and technology areas with a plan called “Make it in Michigan for Free.” |
| Education | To reduce the overall costs of education, Snyder supports competitive bidding for non-instructional services like busing and custodial services. He also said he would support merit pay for teachers based on overall school performance. He proposed having new teachers enter a 401k plan instead of the state retirement system. His plan would also have districts pool healthcare to eliminate some costs. Snyder wants greater transparency in regard to student performance data. He’d like to see a website that reports data so that parents can make decisions about where to send their children to school. He’d also like to see increased cooperation between community colleges and universities to facilitate course credit transfers, opportunity learning, private sector collaboration and early course offerings for high school students. | Bernero would like to see all 4-year-olds enrolled in preschool, mandatory full-day kindergarten, increase the number of days of school to meet or exceed the national average and increase opportunities for high school students to dually enroll in community college or university classes. He would also like to restore the Michigan Promise Scholarship to students who achieve a certain MEAP score. Bernero would also create a freeze on tuition at Michigan universities and community colleges. To pay for these things, he said Michigan needs to consolidate administrative and non-instructional services like transportation and facilities management, which he estimated would save $300 million. |
| Healthcare | Snyder said that reducing the overall healthcare costs is essential. The key, he said, is through prevention. He’d like to promote state-sponsored wellness programs that can help Michigan citizens with issues like quitting smoking and weight loss. He’d also like to see more partnership between the private sector and community groups to do more outreach into high-risk populations to educate about health risks and options and provide screenings. | Bernero said he is committed to healthcare reform and finding affordable options for all. He created the Ingham Health Plan while he was mayor. The plan is not insurance, but offers basic health care to those who do not qualify for Medicaid-Medicare. He also said he is responsible for creating the Otto Health Care Clinic, which serves many low-income families. |
| Environment | Snyder said that Michigan must become a regional leader in environmental protection, specifically regarding issues like the Asian carp that threaten Lake Michigan. Becoming a regional leader, Snyder said, will also help Michigan create more “green” jobs. Snyder says protecting the environment will also protect the tourism industry, where recreational fishing and hunting contribute $1 billion to Michigan’s economy annually. | Bernero said he has a powerful commitment to the environment. As mayor of Lansing, Bernero said he created a “Go Green” initiative and hired a full-time environmental coordinator. He also created a climate protection agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, accepted the US EPA Energy Star Challenge to reduce energy usage by 10 percent and issued an executive order requiring the City of Lansing to adopt a series of measures to conserve energy and utilize alternative, renewable resources to reduce the city’s dependence on foreign oil. |
| Endorsements | Police Officer’s Association of Michigan, Fraternal Order of Police, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Farm Bureau, Republicans for Environmental Protection, former Michigan Gov. Bill Milliken. | United Auto Workers, Michigan Education Association, American Federation of Teachers – Michigan, Equality Michigan Action Network, Michigan — National Organization for Women, Sierra Club — Michigan Chapter, Michigan Clean Water Action, AFL-CIO. |
