LSJ Blogs: Capitol Journal by Scott Davis

Granholm protest: 1,000 points of glow

They’ll be holding glow sticks, instead of candles.

But Leon Drolet, head of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, said he expects 1,000 conservatives may participate in a Capitol lawn protest and vigil to Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s State of the State address Wednesday, Gongwer News reported.

The event begins at 7 p.m., which is when Granholm begins speaking.

"We're asking citizens from around Michigan to come to Lansing and protest the Legislature's unwillingness to make the changes and reforms that are necessary," said Drolet, a state Senate candidate. "It'll be very short speeches from individual Michigan citizens about what the state of

Michigan's citizens is. ... The State of the State speech is more often is about the state of the government than the state of the citizens."

As far as the glow sticks, Drolet would have preferred candles. But candles are prohibited on the Capitol lawn.

Fiscal chuckholes? How's about new road taxes

The roads to anywhere in Michigan are not paved with good intentions – they’re paved with expensive asphalt.

It’s perhaps that reality that led Rep. Richard Ball, R-Laingsburg and Rep. Pam Byrnes, D-Chelsea, to announce bills that would raise gas taxes in Michigan so the state doesn’t lose out on a truckload of federal dough.

The bills would raise the state’s gas tax of 19 cents per gallon to 23 cents this year and to 27 cents in 2013. The diesel tax of 15 cents per gallon would increase to 21 cents this year and to 27 cents in 2013.

It’s estimated the measures would raise $480 million a year once fully implemented, and it would prevent the state from losing federal matching money for roads in 2011. Other recent attempts by lawmakers to hike taxes and raise road money have hit roadblocks.

In a state hit hard by a fiscal crisis, no one wants to pay higher taxes. But it also doesn’t make sense for the state to lose out on tens of millions of dollars in federal road funding because state residents want to watch their pennies.

Still, expect many road blocks to emerge for these bills.

Reform wars: Has anyone seen Yoda?

Not so long ago, in a Statehouse building not so far away……

Reform wars have begun.

This week, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, unveiled his reform plan, wielding a light saber to slash salaries of all public employees by 5 percent and carve through collective bargaining rights.

And now, House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township , said he and fellow House Democrats are studying their own reform proposals and planning soon to issue their own reform plan to address a $1.8 billion shortfall next budget year.

A third reform proposal should emerge in early February, when Gov. Jennifer Granholm unveils her plan.

With all those light sabers clashing, it should make quite a spectacle. Already, Bishop’s plan has provoked an angry response this week from labor leaders, who balk at giving up their collective bargaining rights.

With new reform proposals and slashed programs, more groups likely will fall into the “outraged” column.

In all this dueling, hopefully no one will lose a limb.

Burning mad: Medicinal marijuana takes a stand

Efforts to more closely regulate medicinal marijuana in Michigan have fired up the state’s pro-marijuana forces.

This week, many of them jammed into a room hosting the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Gongwer News reported is hearing testimony on a bill that would treat medical marijuana as a schedule 2 narcotic, limit a patient's ability to get the drug and require that it be purchased from a pharmacist with a physician's prescription.

Many medicinal marijuana advocates are concerned about the legislation because under a 2008 voter’s referendum, they have been allowed to grow plants on their own for medicinal use, as long as they get a state-issued card.

Greg Francisco, executive director of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, said the bills would gut the new law.

"It would just be illegal to obtain it or to possess it which means it really wouldn't be legal at all," he said. "Please kill this package of bills now. They are a transparent attempt to thwart the will of the voters.”

However, Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom, R-Norton Shores , a sponsor of the legislation, said the state’s hands-off regulation approach is becoming too unwieldy. State statistics show there are 3,035 registered caregivers and 7,231 patients who can legally grow marijuana.

"I think the system is getting out of control to a certain extent," he said.

One consequence of the legislation is that it would likely make it harder for medicinal marijuana users to get marijuana. Most pharmacies would simply refuse to stock it – and those that do would face picketers.

And users say that growing the weed themselves is much cheaper than whatever pharmacists would likely charge – an amount almost certainly not covered on their BlueCross plan.

Attempts to kill medicinal marijuana legislation probably were inevitable. But given the high margins by which the voters approved the proposal, clearly the people already have spoken.

Is 2-year state budget double trouble?

The ideas are still pouring forth from Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon.

On Thursday, Dillon, a prospective gubernatorial candidate, proposed a Constitutional amendment requiring two-year budgets. If it winds up on the ballot and voters OK it, the measure would require two-year fiscal periods beginning in 2011.

It’s an interesting idea, especially given the trouble that the Legislative has had in recent years approving merely a one-year budget. Government has shut down twice in the past three years when lawmakers failed to meet deadlines.

So would this help streamline a cumbersome process – or result in double trouble?

Voters may soon weigh in.

Obama: Leaving his thumbprint on Michigan?

One would think that President Barack Obama has plenty on his plate right now – with health care reform, global warming and a stagnant economy causing double-digit unemployment across the nation.

But the rumors are escalating that his staff is trying to put its thumbprint on Michigan's gubernatorial race. That began when Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, a Democrat, contended that White House officials asked him about his interest in the seat, leading him to dip his toe into the water.

And Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon this week said Obama officials met with him twice before he formed his exploratory committee for governor, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Most recently, University of Michigan Regent Denise Ilitch met with White House staff to discuss her possible bid for the job.

It certainly would appear the White House is extremely interested in our state politics. No doubt many people would prefer to see Obama doing more instead to right the state’s faltering economy.

Jones' battle cry: Fill Simpson vacancy now

A mid-Michigan Republican lawmaker is leading the battle cry to pressure Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm to hold a special election to fill a House seat vacancy as soon as possible.

Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said waiting until the general election in November to fill the vacancy in the 65^th District – created last month with the death of Rep. Mike Simpson, a Democrat – would be a disservice to voters in the district.

Officials with the Granholm administration, which will decide whether to hold a special election, have said they have made no decision in the matter. But it did wait several months last year to fill the vacancy left by departing state Sen. Mark Schauer, now a U.S. congressman.

“Michigan continues to face unprecedented challenges, and these residents deserve representation in the Michigan House,” Jones said. “Going a year without a voice in Lansing is far too long. I urge the governor to call a special election at the earliest date possible.”

Given that special elections tend to favor Republicans over Democrats, expect other Republicans to join that battle cry soon.

Granholm: Obama didn't pressure Cherry out of race

Gov. Jennifer Granholm is dispelling rumors that pressure from President Barack Obama’s administration was a factor in her colleague, Lt. John Cherry, leaving the race this week to become her successor.

Granholm said the president’s administration in no way tried to force Cherry out of the race, the Detroit Free Press reported. Those rumors circulated after Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said he was encouraged to run for governor from officials in Washington, D.C.; he since has said he is seriously considering a run.

This week, Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon also formed an exploratory committee to run for governor.

“I can be very clear — they did not intercede in some way with respect to John Cherry,” Granholm said in a press conference. “They have just wanted to make sure there would be choices for the electorate.

“I think they’re very interested in making sure that all the investments they are making in Michigan are able to be continued with somebody who has a similar philosophy.”

Granholm declined to endorse a Democratic candidate for governor Thursday.

Bouchard unveils plan to boost construction jobs

One day after Lt. Gov. John Cherry shook up the Democratic race for governor by dropping out, Republican hopeful Mike Bouchard unveiled his own plan to spur Michigan’s economy.

This morning, Bouchard proposed a plan to create a 12-month window in which homes and businesses could remodel or complete additions without facing property tax increases.

The increases in taxes would not be paid until the properties are sold. Moreover, no property taxes would be paid for a year on new homes that are built.

The aim is to spur new construction jobs in the state. Who knows? This may be one Republican tax cut plan that may actually have legs.

Cherry to drop out of gubernatorial race

The Democratic race to become Michigan's next governor now looks wide open.

Lt. Gov. John Cherry, considered the front-runner, will drop out of the race because of fundraising difficulties, said his longtime fundraiser Faylene Owen. Cherry hadn't formally entered the race.

Cherry was perceived having difficulty running for the post because of the state's poor economy and blame leveled at Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Moreover, in recent weeks, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said he may enter the race, placing new pressure on the Cherry campaign. Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon also may join the fray.

Already in the race are Democratic state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith, former Rep. John Freeman and Michigan State trustee George Perles.