Tag: Wayne Schmidt: Agenda 21 Smart Zones

The Michigan lawmaker sponsoring a bill authorizing red light cameras has made a U-turn on the issue.

Rep. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, last year co-sponsored a bill that would have banned red light cameras. This year, he sponsored a bill that would have brought red light cameras to traffic intersections across the state.

However, Rep. Schmidt said he has chosen not to move the red light authorization bill forward because of concerns he says he now has about traffic cameras and privacy issues.

Concerns about privacy?  Sure it is.  At testimony, Rep. Peter Pettalia spelled that all out for Wayne.

Manufacturers of red light cameras have a reputation for heavy lobbying in state capitols. It is not clear if sponsors of the bill have received any campaign support from red light camera manufacturers. Contributions do not have to be reported until the end of the year in an off-election year, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's office.

Traverse City and Traverse County have been under financial pressure from unfunded pension liabilities, and revenue from red light cameras could provide some relief. However, Traverse City Manager Jered Ottenwess said he is not aware of any interest in installing the cameras.

All but one of the eight co-sponsors on the red light camera bill are Democrats from the Detroit area.

I suppose it's not a good day to be a Show Pony in the 104th with further political aspirations.

This year is different, with a level of fruit crop devastation not seen since the 1940s. Many growers aren't opening their camps this season, leaving migrants in a difficult situation.

"Many migrants came to Michigan or moved into different areas of Michigan and had work earlier in the summer in strawberries and blueberries and other crops not affected by the freezes," said Mollie Schweppe, director of the Michigan Department of Human Services Office of Migrant Affairs. "Then they normally move on to picking cherries and peaches, but since those crops were destroyed they have a gap in their income of four to six weeks potentially until the late summer crops are ready to be harvested such as squash, pumpkins, I hear there's still some work in pickles, there will be some apples available." An inter-agency migrant services committee worked quickly to come up with a means of assisting these workers. The Michigan State Housing and Development Authority has allocated $172,000 of its revenue for emergency housing assistance for migrant workers.

Through Aug. 31, the program will offer up to $400 to cover one month's rent either at a migrant camp or other rental property. The money should be able to help about 430 families, Schweppe said. Applications for the assistance must come from a household member that is in the country legally.
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Michigan has an estimated 90,700 migrant and seasonal farm workers and dependents, which includes some families that stay in Michigan year round, along with others that come from Texas, Florida or elsewhere for all or part of the harvesting season.

Rest

I have to ask, has there been anybody excluded or not invited to belly up to the Michigan taxpayer trough?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Hellooooo?  That must mean it's a no.  Well, I guess the upside to this is that Lansing is at least requiring a frontman to have proper documentation.  Thanks Big Agra for stuffing us with boarding your temp pool.

Ah, apple season.  You know what that means?  Rep. "known as more of a workhorse than a show pony," it's finally safe to reach into your cellar committee where bills go to die and dust off HB 4024 and HB 4026 to send up for a floor vote.  It's OK bub, that little cherry secret is safe with me.  Just you, and I will know.

Mum's the word.  ;-]

But contrast the following bills included in the report to what happened in Wisconsin recently, where voters in effect confirmed major reforms enacted there last year:

Senate Bill 1125: Authorize more state government housing subsidy debt: Passed 33 to 5 in the Senate
House Bill 5246: Expand corporate research subsidies: Passed 87 to 20 in the House
House Bill 5541: Borrow more for university construction projects: Passed 85 to 23 in the House
House Bill 5705: Use Detroit utility tax for streetlights instead of police; raise city income tax: Passed 92 to 14 in the House
House Bill 5566: Increase school and local "deficit spending" debt: Passed 73 to 34 in the House

None of these bills would have passed without support from a majority of Republicans in either the House or Senate.

Adding to the discomfort, pension bureaucrats and the teachers union appear to have successfully stalled a Senate-passed bill to close the defined-benefit school pension to new hires, a transformational reform that would pay dividends for decades to come (it's not dead but may be delayed until next fall).