by Gongwer News Service
December 15, 2008

With nothing certain except uncertainty, Michigan’s governing leaders go into the final effective week of the 94th legislature with much to complete and the specter of more hard decisions to come starting with the new year.

The backdrop to this finale was a week in which Governor Jennifer Granholm’s executive order to cut nearly $134 million out of the budget was approved (even with some Republican grumbling that it did not cut enough, except that it cut too much in terms of corrections with plans to close a prison and a prison camp) and with the automotive industry hanging on for life despite a rejection by the U.S. Senate of $14 billion in emergency loans.

With those grim reminders of ongoing economic hard times facing it, the legislature is preparing for a marathon day on Thursday as it attempts to finish action on a wide variety of issues.

Still up for consideration and action on the 18th:

• Smoking ban. The issue in HB 4613 of whether all or most workplaces ban smoking is up in the air. A Monday conference committee was cancelled with no makeup date scheduled. Some anti-smoking advocates worry that the Senate members of the conference committee are geared to doing nothing. And a proposal to allow restaurants and bars to opt in to smoking may take greater precedence if any proposal is moved.
• The Blues. The legislation would make changes to the individual health insurance market that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is pushing and that private health insurance companies (along with Attorney General Mike Cox and some consumer groups) are resisting. The arguments and counterarguments on the proposal have been made non-stop throughout the year, but the threat of possible automotive collapse may make finding a resolution to HB 5282 and HB 5283 more pressing, as it would mean more people would be forced to buy individual health insurance if corporate coverage is dropped.
• Cobo Center. Presuming the auto industry still has a pulse as 2009 dawns, making sure the pre-eminent auto show is still held in Detroit takes on greater importance. Both the House and Senate have passed their own versions of an approach that would allow for expansion of Cobo, but they need to be resolved.
• Light rail. This is one gift no one wants to lose in these dark times. Some of the region’s richest individuals are offering up to $100 million to build a light rail system along Woodward Avenue from downtown to the New Center area, which will pass by virtually every major sporting and cultural venue in the city. Once built, the state and city would have to take charge of operations and maintenance of the line.
• Tax incentives. Legislation would give major tax credits to attract manufacturers that build the batteries that could be used in hybrid and electric vehicles and result in more than 1,000 jobs in the state, but at a cost of $150 million or more in tax breaks to state coffers. Everyone wants the companies to come in, but is choking on the potential loss of revenue to the state. Still, it is likely something will get passed.
• Road funding. Road builders and business groups want something done to help restore the state’s highway system, but the proposals are extremely complex and carry with them the shadow of tax increases. While the House passed shell bills to keep the prospects alive for changes, there is no way to guarantee a proposal will be approved.

Those are just some of the issues still facing lawmakers as they go into the last week of the year. Others will crop up as well, including the potential for changes to the scope of practice for chiropractors. By the end of the week, probably everyone will feel the need for a backrub of some sort.

For nearly 50 years in Michigan, Gongwer News Service has provided independent, comprehensive, accurate and timely coverage of issues in and around Michigan’s government and political systems. For subscription information, including a free trial, visit Gongwer online.