LANSING – In his first State of the State address of his second term, Governor Rick Snyder said Tuesday that now was an opportunity to make fundamental changes to government, especially in the way it delivered services to persons needing help to get back into the mainstream of life. As part of that effort, Snyder said he will create effectively a mega-department by combining Community Health and Human Services and said the focus of services will be to improve lives and not maintain programs.
“This truly an opportunity to revolutionize government,” Snyder said, saying his first term was to restore the state to basic fiscal soundness. This second term will focus on changing government so that it works better, because, Snyder said, “We work for real people.”
He titled his proposal “the River of Opportunity,” saying the changes he would enact would help streamline and personalize programs help to those persons needing assistance. The goal of the DCH/DHS merger should and will be to get results and not maintain programs.
So significant is the merger that when combined, the new Department of Health and Human Services would encompass 46 percent of the entire $52.3 billion state budget.
It was a speech more focused on administrative actions than legislative requests.
Also in his fifth State of the State address, Snyder said his administration would focus on efforts to improve skilled trades training, have regional prosperity teams to go into regions across the state to determine what is the best way to improve economic development in those areas, create a new energy agency to coordinate environmental, economic and regulatory issues, call for the Legislature to add fiscal notes to legislation that would estimate its cost, issue a program later this year to attack prescription drug abuse and call for a better school management system to improve educational outcomes for students.
Snyder also called for the Legislature to begin anew a discussion on the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act that could expand it to ensure civil rights for gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people. But while calling for the Legislature to hold that discussion, and while saying discrimination was wrong and that the issue was important for economic development, Snyder still did not take a position on the issue.
Snyder also used his address to deliver a solid call for the state’s voters to approve a sales tax increase in May that would open the way for a new transportation funding system that could provide up to $1.2 billion more for road construction and repair.
Michigan has “rotten roads,” Snyder said. Fixing roads is a safety issue as well as an economic development issue, he said.
“Vote yes so we can have safer roads,” Snyder said to applause from most lawmakers.
Snyder was interrupted 21 times with applause for his comments and proposals (there was more applause when individuals were introduced) in the address that lasted some 48 minutes.
Because he is still hobbled from his Achilles tendon injury, Snyder did not enter the House chamber from the front entrance, but from the rear entrance (close to the House elevator) and then spoke from the clerk’s rostrum instead of higher speaker’s rostrum.
And because on Tuesday President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address, Snyder used the opportunity to draw a contrast between Lansing and Washington, D.C.
Michigan’s government has worked because it focuses “outcome and results,” Snyder said, unlike gridlock in Washington. Snyder said the issue of gridlock wasn’t partisan, because it was the fault of both parties.
Washington, Snyder said, needs “relentless positive action” to move ahead.
And while his address was mostly positive, Snyder briefly acknowledged the unexpected budget problems the state now faces because of a reduction in business revenues through tax credits. Snyder did not outline any cuts or changes he will make, saying his budget proposal will come forward in February.
But Snyder did say he expects the Legislature will once again complete the 2015-16 budget at the same speedy pace the state has seen during his first term.
In the first State of the State address of his second term, Snyder briefly outlined the changes and improvements in the state since he took office and on the legislative results of 2014.
Among the efforts of 2014, Snyder put particular stress on programs to improve skilled trades education. Skilled trades workers are critical for the state to continue its economic development, Mr. Snyder said, and he praised such programs as the MI Advanced Technician Training program which he said has doubled in size. Snyder also praised state efforts which he said has led in robotics education and training in the nation.
He also made skilled trades development part of his focus on education, saying a new “robust” collaboration between high school and all aspects of higher education. That includes programs to allow students to earn college credits while in high school or technical degrees, Snyder said.
In expanding the state’s economy, Snyder said that Regional Prosperity Teams will go to the 10 regional areas the state has identified to help determine what are the biggest impediments to growth and help find ways to fix those problems. Those include urban and rural areas, Snyder said.
In terms of his education program, Snyder called again for the Legislature to enact a teacher effectiveness assessment program, and to boost support to ensure that students are reading at third grade level by the time they are in third grade.
But he also said the state needs to develop ways of improved education management that focuses on the best education and the best outcomes, no matter what kind of school a student attends. What is best for the students has to be guiding principles, he said.
Snyder did not dwell long on the issues of energy and environment, saying he will issue a special message on those subjects in March. He did say he would create a new energy agency.
But he did say the state had to take action to protect and promote its environmental concerns instead of waiting for Washington to take action.
He also said the state had to focus its energy efforts on using more renewable sources and more natural gas, which the state produces. The policy also has to be flexible to meet global markets and whatever energy policies the federal government adopts.
In terms of public safety, Snyder praised the improvements and reduced crime levels in cities like Detroit and Flint since the state put a focus on fighting crime there and in Pontiac and Saginaw.
But he also said the state is facing a serious problem with prescription drug and opioid drug abuse. Since 1999, there have been four times as many drug-poisoning deaths in the state, due to this abuse, he said.
However, he did not outline any specific proposals to deal with the issue, saying that would come with a special message in the fall.
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