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Reform Pot Starting to Boil


By John Bebow - August 22, 2008

More than half of Michigan residents say the state's political leaders have done a poor job of balancing the state budget and setting clear spending priorities and a majority of residents want major structural reforms in Lansing, according to a summer poll by the Detroit Renaissance executives group.

The following half-dozen reforms all get majority support in the poll:

  • Find other means of punishment for non violent offenders other than prison (79%)
  • Increase premiums for state employee health care (74.5%)
  • Change the retirement system for new teachers (74.1%)
  • Increase deductibles/ co-pays for state employee health care (72.5%)
  • Impose small co-pays for Medicaid related health services (63.3%)
  • Release some non violent offenders before parole (58.8%)
  • Here are the full Detroit Renaissance poll results.

    Reforms are also on the mind of Tricia Kinley, tax policy advisor for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce who writes in the Detroit News this week that this year's quiet budget agreements in Lansing are not a sign of calm times to come…

    "We could spin our wheels all day long trying to pursue major reform in Medicaid costs, prison costs and pension reforms. But until we "turn off the faucet" of spending increases (or at least turn it down), the Legislature and administration will not be forced to come together and do what's right for the long-term health of our state's financial and budget situation."

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