Vote4Biz

Detroit Regional Chamber Applauds Governor’s Reform Proposal Regarding State Employees

Lansing, MICH, January 29, 2010 — The Detroit Regional Chamber today applauded a new reform proposal from Gov. Jennifer Granholm to save the state money and streamline services.

At the Rotary Club of Lansing lunchtime speech, and in an email to state employees today, Granholm rolled out changes to public employee retirement plans and benefits in an effort to save money in the 2010-11 budget. According to MIRS Newsletter, the governor’s proposal totals $450 million in reforms and savings.

Among other things, her proposal includes items that the Chamber supports:
- Requiring newly hired teachers and other school workers to participate in both a defined benefit and defined contribution plan;
- Changing state employee health care coverage, with employees contributing three percent to their retirement plans;
- Eliminating subsidized vision and dental care services for both state employees and school workers;
- Asking veteran state and school employees to retire;
- Asking all new public workers to pay more for health care;
- Reforms to P.A. 312 (binding arbitration for police and fire);
- Aligning Michigan’s criminal sentencing guidelines with those of other states;
- Ending lifetime health care benefits for state lawmakers; and
- Establishing a two-year budget cycle, with each budget done before July 1 (which would require a change to the state Constitution).

“The Chamber is pleased to see many of the reforms we’ve already been supporting included in today’s announcement and the recent proposal from Senate Majority Leader Bishop,” said Sarah Hubbard, senior vice president of government relations at the Chamber. “We look forward to working with the Legislature and the governor to enact cost-saving reforms that will move Michigan forward.”

In September, statewide business and trade organizations –including the Detroit Regional Chamber – released a list of 19 suggested reforms that the Legislature should undertake in an effort to combat chronic structural budget deficits.

“We understand that none of the reforms will be easy — there will be initial resistance. But this can’t be put off any longer – further delay to fixing Michigan’s underlying chronic structural deficit only exacerbates the size of the state’s spending to revenue gap, especially with no federal stimulus money to help,” Hubbard said.

Detroit Regional Economic Partnership Announces Interim Senior Vice President, Blaire Miller

DETROIT, November 24, 2009 — Today, the Detroit Regional Chamber announced it has entered a contract agreement with Blaire Miller, of International CFO Advisory LLC located in Beverly Hills, Michigan, as interim senior vice president of economic development for its Detroit Regional Economic Partnership. The Partnership focuses on global business development in order to accomplish job creation and investment in southeast Michigan.

Miller has 25 years of international experience in Michigan, focused on investment of United States and Foreign owned companies. Prior to forming her independent consulting firm in 2009, her previous roles include: partner-international services practice, Virchow, Krause & Company; senior vice president & division manager, international corporate banking division, LaSalle Bank, ABN Amro Bank Group; and first vice president & manager of corporate credit products, treasury management department, Comerica Bank.

“Miller will play a critical role carrying out the momentum of the Partnership’s current international economic development activities as well as focusing on business retention support through supplier diversification in Southeast Michigan,” said Richard Blouse, president & CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber.

The chamber made the decision to contract with Miller for an interim period in order to allow the organization to focus on the current leadership transition already underway, while still being responsible to the investors of the Detroit Regional Economic Partnership after the loss of John Carroll Jr. in August.
About the Detroit Regional Economic Partnership

The Detroit Regional Economic Partnership, the economic development arm of the Detroit Regional Chamber, is a unique partnership of the public and private sector working together to improve the economy of Southeast Michigan. Over the past nine years the Partnership has helped 446 companies either locate or expand in the Detroit Region, and 11,385 new jobs have been created through a total investment of $3.7 billion.

About the Detroit Regional Chamber

With over 20,000 members, that employ over three quarters of a million workers, the Detroit Regional Chamber is the largest chamber of commerce in the country. The chamber’s mission is carried out through business attraction efforts, advocacy, strategic partnerships and valuable benefits to members. For more information please visit, detroitchamber.com

This morning a letter signed by more than 2,000 Michigan business owners
and organizations will be hand delivered to all House and Senate member
offices:

More than 2,000 Michigan Businesses and Organizations Sign Letter
Urging Lawmakers Implement Spending Reforms

November 9, 2009 Lansing, MI- A letter to Michigan lawmakers signed by
more than 2,000 Michigan business owners was hand delivered today by a
group of business organizations representing a vast cross section of
Michigan job providers. The letter praises lawmakers for passing a
state budget balanced without tax increases, but warned that spending
reforms must be the next step.

The letter echoed sentiments already expressed by the broad group of
business associations during the battle over balancing the state budget
this fall – no new taxes on Michigan business. This time, however, that
message and the need for reforms was reinforced by more than 2,000 main
street business owners lending their name to the cause.

In addition to thanking lawmakers for their efforts on the budget,
business owners made it clear that that the business community does not
support discussions of overall tax restructuring with the goal of
increasing revenue so the state can dodge needed spending reforms.

“Balancing the budget while looking out for our job providers was a
major accomplishment”, said James Holcomb, Vice President for Business
Advocacy at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. “But we must keep the
momentum going to change the way we conduct government in our state.”

“The next logical step for our lawmakers is movement on spending
reforms,” said Brad Williams, Director of Government Relations for the
Detroit Regional Chamber. “This must be done before we start talking
about “tax reform” or “tax restructuring”.

“This does not mean that every recommendation put forward by the
business community must be implemented, but a number of substantive
reforms must be acted upon to show good faith by the legislature that
serious reforms are underway,” said Bill Martin, President of the
Michigan Association of Realtors.

The coalition of business groups expressed gratitude to those lawmakers
that held the line on tax increases in the 2010 budget passed last week,
but remained cautious with talk of follow up revenue increases rumored
to be in discussion at the capitol.

Business groups that collected the signatures and put together the
letter and message for lawmakers include:

Michigan Chamber of Commerce
Detroit Regional Chamber
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Lansing Regional Chamber
Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan Kalamazoo Regional
Chamber
Michigan Association of Home Builders
Michigan Manufacturers Association
Michigan Association of Realtors
Michigan Restaurant Association
National Federation of Independent Businesses
Michigan Distributors & Vendors Association
Business Leaders for Michigan
Small Business Association of Michigan
Michigan Grocers Association
Michigan Retailers Association
Michigan Bankers Association
Michigan Business & Professional Association
Michigan Association of Insurance Agents

The Detroit Regional Chamber welcomes the significant change to Detroit City Council and Charter Commission brought about by yesterday’s election. The results represent a major step towards revitalizing Detroit, and it is clear the city’s residents and Detroit’s business community are aligned and ready for change.

The newly elected leaders will move the city of Detroit in a new direction in dealing with issues such as education, job creation, a balanced budget and public safety. The chamber also looks forward to working with the newly elected members of the Detroit Charter Commission, which will set the basis for how city government will operate and serve Detroiters and the business community for the next twenty years.

The following elected City Council members received the chamber PAC’s endorsement: Gary Brown; Saunteel Jenkins; incumbent Brenda Jones; Charles Pugh; Andre Spivey; James Tate and incumbent Ken Cockrel, Jr. The Chamber’s PAC endorsed 4 of the 9 newly elected Detroit Charter Commission members; they will serve until November 17, 2012 working to revise the charter, which will determine how city government operates.

The Detroit Regional Chamber participates in the election process by educating candidates about concerns of the business community and supports selected candidates whose leadership is critical in working with the region’s business community.

The chamber endorsed these individuals because we believe they will be able to work in collaboration with the Mayor’s office to create a balanced budget and bring integrity back to Detroit’s city council.

The newly elected city council brings a diverse array of experience; many of them have private sector professional experience that will be beneficial when engaging the region’s business community to make substantial changes for the city of Detroit. This new council, along with Mayor Bing, will be able to effectively execute the regional business agenda.

For more information, contact Sebastian Wade at (313) 596-0399.

Welcomes Change to Detroit City Council and Charter Commission

DETROIT, November 3, 2009 — Today, the Detroit Regional Chamber, pending the City of Detroit’s election results, congratulates our newly elected leaders to the Detroit City Council and Mayor’s office and extending an interest in working together to move Detroit forward.

“This election is important to the business community because change is needed and today we will begin to see the results of our electoral process to make change happen, said Richard E. Blouse, Jr., president and CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber. “The newly elected leaders will move the city of Detroit in a new direction dealing with issues such as, education, job creation, a balanced budget and public safety. The chamber urges all our elected and community leaders from the labor and faith-based organizations to come together in the spirit of cooperation to address the city’s need and lead it out of crisis.”

The chamber looks forward to working with the newly elected members of the Detroit Charter Commission. The work of the city’s charter commission will set the basis for how city government will operate and serve Detroiters and the business community for the next twenty years.

“The Detroit Regional Chamber participates in the election process by educating candidates about concerns of the business community, and supports selected candidates whose leadership is critical in working with the region’s business community, said Sarah Hubbard, senior vice president government relations, Detroit Regional Chamber.”

About the Detroit Regional Chamber

With over 20,000 members, that employ over three quarters of a million workers, the Detroit Regional Chamber is the largest chamber of commerce in the country. The chamber’s mission is carried out through business attraction efforts, advocacy, strategic partnerships and valuable benefits to members. For more information please visit, detroitchamber.com

Mayor of Detroit

Dave Bing is current mayor of Detroit and is founder and chairman of The Bing Group, a diversified base of unionized manufacturing companies housed on 30 acres in Detroit’s North End that employs some 500 people.

Detroit City Council

Saunteel Jenkins is director of the residential treatment program at Mariners Inn. Prior to her current position, Saunteel was National Business Development Director for a private education company, Platform Learning. As an entrepreneur, she started Petite Sweets, a dessert catering company. Saunteel served as chief of staff to Maryann Mahaffey while she was president of Detroit City Council.

Gary Brown is the former Detroit Police deputy chief. During his 26 years of service with the DPD, he served the community as Commander of the 1st, 3rd, 9th and 11th Precincts, and also provided executive direction in a variety of critical areas, including Gang Squad, Narcotics and Internal Affairs. Gary is currently the founder and owner of Brown & Associates, which provides objective and professional case consultant services for law enforcement and private security litigation.

Charles Pugh has worked as a reporter and anchor on FOX 2 News. Pugh was also a host and newscaster on FM 98 WJLB. Pugh left his careers in radio and television and on May 3, announcing his candidacy to run for Detroit City Council.

Ken Cockrel, Jr. is the current president of the Detroit City Council. He served as interim mayor for the city in 2008-2009, is a former journalist for the Detroit Free Press and a former Wayne County commissioner.

Jai-Lee Dearing, in addition to owning a small business, serves as Detroit Housing Commissioner, where he manages his department’s budget and nearly half a billion dollars in federal funds. Brought on to clean up the housing commission, Jai-Lee Dearing was forced to eliminate 80 percent of the department’s workers to wipeout widespread corruption in our city.

Fred Elliott Hall is founder and president of Novatech Computer Services Company and president of H&P Protective Services. He completed an MBA in finance from Wayne State, and in 1989 founded Novatech. It was one of the first computer services companies of its kind, providing computer training and networking. He also co-founded Project Exposure, an African American young male mentoring program.

Detroit City Charter Revision Commission

Jenice Mitchell-Ford is senior counsel in the Detroit office of Foley & Lardner LLP, specializing in Commercial Litigation. Mitchell Ford was a steering committee member for Michigan Lawyers for Obama, coordinating voter protection efforts during the historic 2008 election. She has served on transition teams for elected officials and worked on presidential, gubernatorial and mayoral elections.

Sarah D. Lile served as director of the department of environmental affairs for the City of Detroit from 1995 to 2005. Before coming to city government, Lile was a partner in the law firm of Fink Zausmer P.C., where she specialized in environmental litigation and planning, eminent domain and commercial litigation. In addition to her legal and government experience, Lile served as Assistant Dean and Lecturer in Law at Wayne State University Law School from 1982-84, where she taught employment law.

Patty Fedewa has practiced labor law since 1995, after graduating from Detroit College of Law cum laude in 1994. Since 2002, she has been the bus improvement project chair of Transportation Riders United (TRU). In this role, she has lobbied the mayor, city council, and DDOT to improve transit.

Kenneth L. Harris is the founder, president and CEO of the International Detroit Black Expo, Inc., an economic empowerment agent for African-American businesses in the State of Michigan. Over the last few years, the nonprofit organization has grown exponentially to more than 7,500 African-American business members across the State of Michigan providing a stronghold in the community.

Jonathan Kinloch has served on the Detroit Library Commission and has initiated several programs to increase literacy in Detroit. Kinloch also believes that revising the charter alone is not sufficient if council members are not willing enough or courageous enough to use the provisions of the charter for the best interests of Detroiters, and that it is essential for the City Charter to be a clear, concise and binding document in order to accomplish this.

John Eddings served as Macomb County ombudsman for a year, after having served 10 years as Detroit’s city ombudsman. He believes that the city council should be elected by a combination of district and at-large elections. He also believes that the city attorney needs to be completely independent in governance of the city law department.

Cara Blount retired as deputy chief, Detroit Police Department. She serves as an adjunct instructor at Wayne State University and Wayne County Community College District. Blount believes the city would be better served by having council members elected by district.

Ken Coleman is former legislative assistant to former Detroit City Councilwoman Brenda M. Scott, State Senator Irma Clark-Coleman and State Senator Buzz Thomas. He serves as the director of the Office of Community Relations and Office of Governmental Relations for Detroit Public Schools, as well as reporter and senior editor for the Michigan Chronicle.

The State of Michigan’s October 1 deadline to enact a new budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year is now behind us. Nonetheless, we still do not have a budget plan in place. After a week’s worth of marathon sessions held by the Michigan Senate and the House of Representatives that often ran from the morning until late in the evening , lawmakers and the Governor’s office failed to reach consensus on a deal to address the $2.8 Billion budget deficit. Votes on difficult issues, from a 3% cut in school aid funding to cuts in revenue sharing dollars for local units of government stalled on multiple occasions. The House of Representatives even voted to restore certain cuts without passing a plan to raise the corresponding new revenue as a way to garner adequate support. The end result was the passing of a continuation budget that funds State government, at reduced levels, through the end of October.

While it is disappointing that a full year’s budget was not passed, there are still positive ideas on the table. In September, a deal struck between Senate Majority leader Mike Bishop(R-Rochester) and Speaker of the House Andy Dillon(D- Redford Twp) to fix the hole in the budget with cuts, not taxes, was refreshing news coming out of Lansing. The deal included a reduction in overall general fund spending from $9.71 billion to $7.93 billion and minimized its reliance on one-time funding from federal stimulus dollars. Legislators should accept the necessity of the difficult decision to pare back the size of state government now, lest we be doomed to the chaos that comes with the yearly reprisal of budget crisis and economic uncertainty. The message from the business community must be clear; it is not acceptable to return to the status quo in the days leading up to October 31. Only two short years ago, legislators balanced the budget with tax increases, including the creation of a surcharge on the Michigan Business Tax.

Working with a coalition of 12 major business organizations, including groups representing everything from manufacturers, retailers and other chambers of commerce, the Detroit Regional Chamber has advocated consistently that structural and spending reform measures, not tax increases on job providers, are the only way to get Michigan’s fiscal house in order today and achieve lasting results into the future. Our work to right-size State government has successfully led to a bi-partisan agreement to make significant cost-saving reforms to the Michigan Department of Corrections, whose budget accounts for 20% of all State General Fund spending. We intend to hold policymakers to this agreement as they meet to finalize the FY ’09-10 budget. Go to WWW.VOTE4BIZ.COM to hold the Governor and your elected officials accountable!

To: Governor Granholm and Michigan Legislators

From:  Michigan’s Business Community, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Detroit Regional Chamber, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Lansing Regional Chamber, Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, Kalamazoo Regional Chamber, Michigan Association of Home Builders, Michigan Manufacturers Association, Michigan Association of Realtors, Michigan Restaurant Association, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Business Leaders for Michigan, Small Business Association of Michigan, Michigan Grocers Association, Michigan Retailers Association, Michigan Bankers Association

Date: September 25, 2009

RE: Hold the Line!

We are writing you today, with five days left in the fiscal year, asking you to hold the line and pass the budget deal that was agreed to by leaders in the Legislature.  With a 15% unemployment rate, Michigan’s business is already unstable and uncertain.  We stand unified in our opposition to any tax increase on job providers.

In 2007, each business was faced with a 22% tax increase in the form of the MBT surcharge, while the Legislature and Governor promised structural reforms to insure this would not happen again.  The business community has engaged in the process of making structural reform a priority, encouraging conversation among legislators and offering menus of possible reforms and has expected as much for two years.  It is a drastic mistake to raise taxes and make Michigan less competitive when even the simplest reforms have not been considered.

Further, we are concerned about the conversation that has begun of passing a continuation budget that does not include the targeted cuts.  A continuation budget that does not reflect the agreement between legislative leaders will only make it harder to make the difficult votes that are required during this challenging time.  Moreover, a continuation budget will unnecessarily concentrate the impact of the reduced spending into a concentrated fiscal year. Michigan cannot afford to once again kick the can down the road.

Make no mistake, Michigan’s business and trade organizations are ready and willing to be part of the solution to set Michigan on the path to reform and revitalization.  Based on the rumors coming out of the Capitol, we are not sure how many members of our government are ready to do the same thing.

For Immediate Release ; Jaime Patlevic; (313) 596-0344

The Detroit Regional Chamber Political Action Committee Endorses City Council and Charter Commission Candidates and Mayor Bing

DETROIT, September 16, 2009 — Today, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Political Action Committee (PAC) announced its endorsement of several candidates in the upcoming 2009 November City of Detroit general election. The endorsements include city council, charter commission and mayoral candidates.

The following individuals will receive the chamber PAC’s endorsement: Jai Lee Dearing; Gary Brown; Fred Elliott Hall; Lisa Howze; Saunteel Jenkins; incumbent Brenda Jones; Charles Pugh; Andre Spivey; James Tate and incumbent Ken Cockrel, Jr. The chamber PAC also endorsed the current Mayor of the City of Detroit, David Bing.

The following individuals running for the Detroit City Charter Revision Commission will receive the chamber PAC’s endorsement: Jenice Mitchell-Ford; Sarah Lile; Jonathan Kinloch; Patty Fedewa; Ken Harris; John Eddings; Cara Blount; Ken Coleman and Jeffery Robinson.

“The chamber endorses these individuals because we believe they will be collaborative in efforts to change our economic future, and will bring integrity to the decision making process,” said Sarah Hubbard, senior vice president of government relations for the
Detroit Regional Chamber. “These candidates all bring experience that can be transferred to decision making that will be required to turn around the problems in the city of Detroit.”

The Detroit Regional Chamber PAC Board of Directors regularly meets to identify and support pro-business candidates and policies that support the chamber’s public policy priorities.

About the Detroit Regional Chamber

With over 20,000 members, that employ over three quarters of a million workers, the Detroit Regional Chamber is the largest chamber of commerce in the country. The chamber’s mission is carried out through business attraction efforts, advocacy, strategic partnerships and valuable benefits to members. For more information please visit, detroitchamber.com (http://www.detroitchamber.com/index.php)

Michigan’s Business Community Speaks with One Voice for Structural Reform
Leaders of Business Organizations Statewide Call for Action in Lansing

6 minute video of press conference:  Business Community Calls on Legislature To Pass Structural Budget Reform

September 9, 2009

LANSING – Leaders of multiple statewide business organizations today spoke with one voice in calling on Governor Jennifer Granholm and State Legislators to significantly structurally reform state government prior to the beginning of the October 1 fiscal year.

“Passing a budget that once again patches things together and kicks the can down the road another year or two would be considered a complete failure of state government,” said Jim Holcomb, Vice-President of Business Advocacy and Associate General Counsel of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. “Michigan’s business leaders expect that Michigan’s elected leaders will go beyond their minimum constitutional duty and set Michigan on a path to reform and revitalization.”

“The business community knows that the time for single house or single branch solutions is over and real structural reform must be enacted prior to the start of the October 1 fiscal year,” said Sarah Hubbard, Senior Vice-President of Government Affairs for the Detroit Regional Chamber.

“The business community is cognizant of the fact that reform is never easy,” said Jared Rodriguez, Senior Vice-President of Government Affairs for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. “We stand committed in supporting those Legislators that will provide the leadership to properly solve this on-going budget crisis by enacting long-term reform to revitalize Michigan government.”

“Business organizations from around the state are ready to assist Legislators and the Governor in rallying support for significant structural reform,” added Kristin Beltzer Senior Vice-President, Government Relations and Public Affairs for the Lansing Regional Chamber. “To help guide the discussion, we’ve provided each legislative office with a list of reforms that should be part of the discussion.”

To be clear, individually, our organizations see various degrees of merit in the individual reform proposals. Without question though, we agree that the worst option is to do nothing.

The major business and trade organizations joining the call for reform include the Michigan Association of Realtors, the Small Business Association of Michigan, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Detroit Renaissance, the Michigan Manufacturers Association, the Michigan Association of Home Builders, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, the Michigan Bankers Association, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Lansing Regional Chamber and the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber.

The list of suggested reforms for consideration include:

● Pool all health care plans for public employees
● Establish an Office of Medicaid Inspector General to specifically investigate Medicaid fraud
● Reform Public Act 312 to change arbitration standards for police and fire
● Reform Urban Cooperation Act and two other similar acts to eliminate requirement that when a service merger occurs, the higher wage and benefits must be paid
● Require all new teachers hired by a date certain in the future to have defined contribution, rather than defined benefit, retirement plans
● Move all administrative functions of local schools to the ISD, leaving local school boards with only academic and athletic functions
● Privatize food service, mental health services, and transportation in prisons
● Increase minimum retirement/years of service for all public employees to be eligible for retirement benefits
● Increase state employee and retiree health care premium co-pays
● Exempt government construction from prevailing wage statutes
● Eliminate road patrol function of Michigan State Police and let county sheriffs take over that function
● Require that school districts competitively bid all non-core functions, including transportation, food service, and custodial work.
● Reduce the number of school districts
● Reduce mandatory minimum sentences and increase parole rates for all crimes
● Make Michigan Promise scholarships a forgivable loan, rather than a scholarship, requiring participants to work in Michigan for two years following completion of their degree.
● School Employees Pay 25% of Health Insurance Costs ($650m – Mackinac Center)
● Reduce State Worker Benefits to Nat’l Average ($269m – Public Sector 2008)
● Cap School Superintendant Pay ($6.1 million – The Center for Michigan)
● Require program efficiency studies in all government programs to eliminate waste
● Eliminate undocumented and potentially fraudulent child care payments ($231 million – Auditor General Report 2008)