Welcome to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee website.
In the few months since our 26 member Republican Super Majority ushered in a new era of governance in the state Senate, we have accomplished much for the people, the economy and, indeed, for the future of Michigan. We have dramatically transformed the landscape of Michigan into a pro-jobs, pro-small business, pro-growth state by delivering on our promises to substantially reform state government. This hard work will help set the economic conditions that stimulate entrepreneurship and job creation. Our actions will improve the quality of life for Michigan families.
There have been some short-term sacrifices that both government and residents have gone through together. These sacrifices are necessary to achieve the long term success that we were sent to Lansing to produce. Many reforms are already paying dividends. In July, the Fitch Ratings agency on Wall Street updated Michigan's bond rating outlook from stable to positive, bringing confidence back to the economy, which will attract new jobs. Senate Republicans will continue to pursue more restructuring as we rebuild and reinvent our great state.
Last November a vast majority of Michigan voters recognized that the Republican ideals of fiscal responsibility and limited government are what is needed to fix our state. These principles are not only relevant to today's immediate obstacles, but also to the long-term stability of our state's economy and its government. You stood up for us and we will continue to stand up for Michigan families, as Senate Republicans have done for more than 25 years of majority leadership.
The first months of the 96th Legislature have set the tone for the next four years and yet there is so much more to do. Your generous donation today will help Senate Republicans maintain our majority, so that together we can continue to achieve great things.
Sen. Randy Richardville
Senate Majority Leader
17th District
SENATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2011
SPUR JOB GROWTH
Replaced the Job Killing Michigan Business Tax - Cut job killing taxes on Michigan businesses by $1.7 billion and ended double taxation for more than 95,000 small business owners. Delivered the bulk of tax relief to those job providers responsible for creating the vast majority of jobs in the last 20 years.
Crafted Fair & Equitable Unemployment Insurance Reform - Extended unemployment benefits to the long-term out-of-work whose eligibility ran out after Christmas 2010. Reduced the burden on job providers who provide the sole funding of the state unemployment trust fund. The measure also cracks down on cheaters who collect unemployment benefits while working a new job, defrauding the system $100 to $150 million per year.
Paid down Unemployment Trust Fund Debt - Restored the long-term solvency of the unemployment trust fund paid entirely by Michigan job providers and eliminated the more than $3 billion worth of debt owed for unemployment benefits paid out during Michigan's decade long recession.
Repealed Job Killing Regulations - Halted the expansion of new state-specific ergonomic regulations above and beyond what the federal government mandates. That burden would have imposed an estimated $500 million hidden tax on Michigan job providers. This would disproportionately impact medium-size and small businesses, the engines which drive the Michigan economy forward.
STRENGTHEN EDUCATION
Reformed Teacher Tenure - Passed common sense reforms to ensure that every school tax dollar spent goes to putting the best-rated teachers in the classroom. Teachers given three straight ineffective ratings on their annual performance evaluations will be removed and any layoffs in the future will be based on competency in the classroom, not seniority.
Expanded Educational Opportunity for our Children - Facilitate dual enrollment in community colleges, expanded cyber-schools, and expanded educational opportunity for students regardless of where they receive their education to promote an educated workforce for our state.
Eliminated the Cap on Charter Schools - Expanded innovation and choice in public school education by removing arbitrary barriers to education options for students and parents.
Pledge of Allegiance - Afford every Michigan student the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the school day to promote good citizenship.
Banned School Bullying - Protected all children in school from bullying.
PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS
Senior Protection Package - Strengthens penalties for crimes committed against seniors and protects seniors' assets by requiring financial institutions to detect and report suspected financial exploitation.
Cracked Down on Mortgage Fraud - Toughened penalties for forging and falsely notarizing real estate documents to give prosecutors the tools to fight the crime of mortgage fraud and restore financial integrity to the housing market.
Foreclosure Prevention Program - Protect the rights of citizens by helping to keep families in their homes. Cracks down on scam artists who prey on vulnerable homeowners. Maintains the 90 day window to assist owners and lenders to find a solution.
Passed a State Ban on Partial Birth Abortion - This was necessary in case the Obama Administration or future presidents choose not to enforce the current federal ban on this heinous procedure.
CONTINUE GOVERNMENT REFORMS
Passed a Reform Budget in Record Time - The Senate passed a reform-minded budget that cut spending. It also required accountability and reforms to be put in place by local governments and school districts. This ensures that dollars are focused on the classroom and public safety not administrative costs.
- Stopped using one-time fixes and gimmicks to balance the budget. A structurally sound budget that puts the state on solid financial footing was passed at the earliest date in three decades. This provides local governments and schools with plenty of advance notice to plan and prepare for next year.
Capped Welfare Benefits - Restored original intent of program to be temporary assistance on the road to self-sufficiency. Raised cap on how much a beneficiary can earn in a job and still qualify for assistance to encourage a speedy transition to self-reliance. Cracked down on cheats who used cash assistance to fund gambling habits playing the lottery or casinos.
State Employee Retirement Reform - Ends the practice of treating the health care and benefit system like a credit card making hefty charges but only paying the minimum balance. Continues on a path to save $6 billion in retiree health care costs. In 26 years, this reform will reduce the state's liability for retiree healthcare from $1.2 billion to less than $150 million annually.
Passed Emergency Managers Reform - Provided more tools to emergency managers to bring financially distressed local units of government out of deficit. Established a thorough review process for early detection and early intervention before financial emergencies can happen.
Slashed Bureaucratic Red Tape - Passed a multi-bill package aimed at requiring regulators to adopt common sense tests on any proposed rules and to speed up the permitting process. These reasonable changes will help private business expansion and job growth.
Reined in Out-of-Control Public Sector Benefits - Required public employees of all levels of government (including state lawmakers) to pay a modest 20% share of the cost of their healthcare benefits (or a fixed limit) to bring them in line with the rate private sector workers are contributing.