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Category Archives: Government Collaboration
Bipartisan freshmen legislators lead by example
Here’s a story that holds glimmers of hope that things can get better.
Forty-four seats in the Michigan House of Representatives were forced open by term limits for last November’s election. The folks at the Center for Michigan saw the 2008 election as a forerunner of the watershed one coming next November. That‘s when we’ll elect [...]
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How to save Michigan's local communities
In the city of Taylor, the owner of a $150,000 home will pay $450 this year in property taxes simply to fund the pensions of police and firefighters who are eligible for retirement in their mid-40s, after only 20 years of service.
That’s the same millage rate residents are paying to fund the public schools for [...]
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More evidence of Michigan's high benefits costs
Michigan taxpayers are footing the bill for some of the most expensive state employee health care benefits in the nation. The monthly premium for Michigan state worker family coverage is 24 percent above the national average for state government workers. Yet the employee share of that expensive premium is 43 percent below the national average [...]
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SPECIAL REPORT: Health care pools offer savings in other states
Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon proposes to create a statewide health insurance pool for a wide range of active and retired employees of state and local governments, K-12 school districts, community colleges and universities.
A special legislative committee will begin hearing testimony on the idea this week. Among the factors policy makers will consider is cost [...]
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Dillon's way or the highway?
House Speaker Andy Dillon’s public benefits pooling bill seems to suggest he’s seeking mandatory coverage across a wide range of public employees. Specifically, it states that a public employer can only offer a health benefits plan that is not part of the state pool if the public employer can demonstrate that a local plan would [...]
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Write your legislator on health care reform
Fresh Thoughts readers have so far sent nearly 150 email letters to Lansing, urging in-depth consideration of public sector benefits reform.
Have your say today! It takes five seconds to send an email to Lansing leaders using the links below…
Send an email of thanks and support to House Speaker Andy Dillon
Send an email of thanks and [...]
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Center board praises Dillon, Bishop on benefits reform
Editor’s Note: The Center for Michigan board released the following letter today. Click here for a signed PDF version.
July 23, 2009
Dear Governor Granholm and members of the Michigan Legislature,
Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon’s proposal to pool all state and local government employee health care benefits into a single health insurance plan is an important and [...]
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Send a Quick Note to Lansing on Benefits Reforms
You are just one click and five seconds away from adding your voice to the debate in Lansing about public sector benefits reform.
If you want to join the Center for Michigan board in encouraging Speaker Andy Dillon and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop to consider such reforms, click on any of the links below to [...]
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Underpinnings for benefits reforms
Scrutiny of public sector benefits costs in Michigan has increased over the past several years. Key examples:
Former State Schools Superintendent Tom Watkins (2004): “Two-thirds of every new (tax) dollar provided (for education) is consumed by health care and pension costs… Combining increased pension contributions and health benefit costs for working employees leaves little room for [...]
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The benefits debate in other states
Nearly all states are struggling with the cost of public employee and retiree health care. The National Conference of State Legislatures documents ongoing reform debates in nearly 30 states, including:
Six states pursuing increased employee contributions and co-pays.
11 states pursuing cuts in levels of coverage.
In Florida, the media declared public employees have “an unbeatable deal”
In Connecticut, [...]
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