The latest issue that is apparently being touted by the candidates is Right-to-Work legislation. Sheriff Bouchard launched a website this week to promote such a thing.

But the one thing that I've yet to see, at least strongly anyway, is a pledge for a strong adherence to the Michigan Constitution by the Republican Candidates. By strong, I mean TV/Radio ads and in-person. This is the part where I get to the unfunded mandates.

Back in 1978, Michiganians were fed up with politicians taxing us with no end in sight. Something had to be done. Enter Richard Headlee and Proposal E.

What Proposal E (a.k.a. the Headlee Amendment) did was to amend the Michigan Constitution so that not only were taxes limited, but that Lansing couldn't get around that limitation by simply mandating other layers of government perform that function w/o funding attached to that mandate. It is a VERY well written amendment that is the bane of various levels of state government, even today. Unfortunately, those very same governments "ignore" it whenever they can.

Fast forward to 2000 for the latest example of that violation.

In 2000, Gov Engler created another superfluous layer of government called the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI). CEPI's goal was to collect and crunch information from Michigan's public schools. It was also to last for only two years.

CEPI is still on the State of Michigan's website and is posting data from the last school year...so take that for what you will.

Collecting and crunching takes time and manpower. Manpower costs money. And the money wasn't forthcoming from Lansing to those districts for this mandate.

So the schools went to the Michigan Constitution, and lo and behold:

Art IX § 25 Voter approval of increased local taxes; prohibitions; emergency conditions;
repayment of bonded indebtedness guaranteed; implementation of section.

Sec. 25. Property taxes and other local taxes and state taxation and spending may not be
increased above the limitations specified herein without direct voter approval. The state is prohibited from requiring any new or expanded activities by local governments without full
state financing, from reducing the proportion of state spending in the form of aid to local
governments, or from shifting the tax burden to local government.

Well, this week, The Michigan Supreme Court agreed with the school districts. Justices Kelly, Cavanagh, Weaver and Hathaway sided with districts. Justices Markman, Young and Corrigan for the state.

But what I've found very interesting while catching up on my reading this morning, was this little blurb:

"Spokespersons for Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Attorney General Mike Cox said they would not comment until attorneys could review the ruling."

I can see Gov. Granholm not having any comment. Not only is she a lame-duck, but that just means that she'll have to cut from one of her pet programs.

AG Cox on the other hand is a different story.

Headlee is very clear on this issue. You either pay for it, or you don't get it!

It's that simple.

If our AG won't take a stand (for the moment), will other candidates be willing to stand up for our rights and lead?