It's true that due to my husband Mike serving in the state Legislature, I have a pretty good handle on the process.  However, Mike was in the state House when Republicans were in the majority and there was still money in the treasury - not the same experience for me!  Also, due to email, communications from constituents has increased exponentially.  This is a good thing, but challenging in trying to respond to everyone - add to that all of the reading and research to get up to speed on issues.   The pace may be fast and furious, but I'm getting used to it and I'm putting forth legislative and caucus ideas.

And obviously, same as it was when you were winning your race last fall, the big issue remains the economy and jobs.  What is your perspective on the current jobs climate in Michigan?  Where have we gone wrong and what are the first steps you can take as a legislator and as a legislature to fixing them?

The situation with jobs and the economy has actually gotten much worse since the election.  I keep hearing from business owners that they are finding it more and more difficult to do business in Michigan.  The MBT, and especially the MBT surcharge, are in fact job killers, and in many cases employers have been forced to choose between paying the tax or hiring or retaining employees.  Yet the whole key to a healthy economy is jobs.

Since Republicans are in such deep minority, the most we can do right now is practice defense.  Despite the fact that Michigan has lost 737,400 jobs (as of February) since June of 2000, the House Democrats keep pushing job-killing legislation regarding drug companies, No-Fault and medical malpractice, that would undo all the tort reforms the Republicans have managed to put in place.  It's a beautiful day in the Lansing neighborhood as long as you're a trial lawyer!  They are even making these laws retro-active!  How can anyone do business in a state where they can come back on you for something you were doing legally at the time?  Thank God we still have the Senate to block these bills.

On the pro-active side I have introduced a bill to exempt automobile rebates from the sales tax in the hopes of stimulating some more auto sales.  I co-sponsored similar bills from other Republican Reps, along with bills to amend the MBT and address rising property taxes in a declining market.

Spinning off from that question, with Andy Dillon running the show and what is, by all accounts, a painfully partisan Democratic Majority, what are the chances any of that gets done?

Little to none.  Having said that, I have to admit that we have a great Minority Leader in Kevin Elsenheimer.  He is firm but diplomatic and has established a good working relationship with Speaker Dillon.  If anyone can reason with the Democrat side, he can. However, if the budget process is any indication, things are not going the way they should.  The Republican caucus has identified 10% cuts that could be made to many of the general fund budgets.  Our suggestions were ignored in committee.  We are now going directly to each department head and demanding that they recommend adjustments in each of their departments that would add up to 5%.  Meanwhile, the Governor and the Dems are using stimulus money to "backfill" many of the budgets rather than make the necessary cuts.  So much for their promises to not use stimulus funds as Band-Aids!

How disappointed are you that the Senate's overwhelmingly bipartisan bill eliminating the job-killing MBT surcharge hasn't even gotten a hearing in the House?

We have passed a few housekeeping bills eliminating penalties and interest payments for companies that made a good faith effort in paying quarterly MBT.

However, I'm very disappointed the House has not yet taken up the Senate's bill to eliminate the MBT surcharge.  I'm sure it's because revenue estimates are down $2 million since the January forecast and are predicted to fall $1 billion short by the end of this fiscal year.  This is no excuse, however, and state government keeps putting the cart before the horse.  Once again, we need jobs.  Jobs are the be all and end all and the only answer to turning this economy around.  Don't they realize that more jobs ultimately equate with increased revenues through increased economic security, spending, and incomes?  We won't ever get our state to where we want to be unless we suck it up now!

And with more and more folks losing their jobs, the unemployment rate is just insane, I know you've actually taken some interesting steps to help folks who are hurting via your office, too.

Yes, my office has helped guide many frustrated constituents when the unemployment office was inundated with a flood of newly unemployed people.  We helped expedite their requests and faxed their applications directly to the unemployment office or guided them to the Web site so they could electronically submit their applications.

Topic of the week has been the President's action in removing Rick Wagoner from GM, effectively exerting federal control over a Michigan business.  What is your reaction, as someone with that particular automaker right in her own backyard?

I'm completely aghast at the insertion of federal government control in the automobile industry to the point of firing the CEO of GM.  By all accounts he has done an excellent job of leading GM and there was no legitimate reason for making him a sacrificial lamb.  Meanwhile, a Democrat state representative is circulating a state seal for state reps to sign in honor of Ron Gettelfinger!  Give me a break...

That sort of nonsense is just plain frustrating.  But speaking of your backyard, on a more positive note, White Lake Township has managed to do some pretty amazing things while everyone else is struggling.  What's been the secret?

White Lake has had quite of bit of growth, increasing their assessed value by $58 million.  It's amazing what happens when you roll up the red tape and roll out the red carpet.  Just by government getting out of the way, 2000 new jobs were created in the area.

Any chance you can export a little bit of that magic to Lansing?

I'd very much like to bring that kind of mindset to Lansing and remove the tax and regulation obstacles that prevent Michigan from being a business-friendly state.  I'd also like state government to adopt the sound business practices employed by Oakland County government due to great Republican leadership and L. Brooks Patterson.  I think state government is finally beginning to consider adopting a two-year rolling budget and some other things Oakland County has been doing all along.

Finally, I want to go back to an issue you helped take the lead on last month, and that's transparency in government.  What sort of steps are you taking to make state government more transparent, what else would you like to see done and why is it important?

I have made my office transparent by posting all of my office expenses online.  A Democratic version of transparency, calling for the creation of a Web site detailing executive branch expenditures, contracts, etc., passed the House this week.  Even though this information is already available on the Web site and this bill would not go far enough in detail, most of our caucus voted for it in the spirit of encouraging the Dems to keep coming further "into the light."  We'll keep pushing for better transparency.

Is there anything else you'd like to cover while we're at it?

That's all for now folks!

Representative, thanks again for your time!