Michigan Capitol Confidential January / February 2010 | 2 Are You New to Michigan Capitol Confidential?
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Now Featuring: from the Property Rights Network A review of the votes and proposals of the Michigan Legislature — Vol. 4 No. 1 — January/February 2010 DON’t treaD ON me HomE CoUrT DISaDvaNTagE K-zoo taxpayers may ante up for new sports arena By KenneTh m. braun Kalamazoo for an estimated cost of $81.2 million. Five days later, the Pon- n Nov. 11, 2009, the Lansing tiac Silverdome — also constructed State Journal reported that the with taxpayer subsidies — was auc- KalamazooO County Board of Com- tioned off to a Canadian firm for just missioners was exploring the possibil- $583,000. Despite having almost 12 ity of creating a hotel and restaurant times the seating capacity and still be- tax to finance construction of a ing in good condition, the Silverdome 6,800-seat sports arena to be built in See “Home Court,” Page 4 PRoPerty Rights NeTwoRk CommentaRy INSIDE THE ISSUE Page 5 The Lowdown 7 The PuBliC TRusT REPORK shOuld Not D.C.Ca free-marketRd group grades 9 Be TRusTed Congress on earmarks By Russ haRding Philosopher John Locke was an early proponent of this idea, which By KenneTh m. braun Mouth & Spine hen politicians talk about holds that the sticks that make up placing natural resources the bundle are a compilation of wenty-two members of the inW public trust, landowners should the various rights that come with U.S. House of Representa- worry. The right to own and use owning private property, including tivesT scored 100 percent on the private property is a bedrock prin- the rights to live on or bequeath 2009 “RePORK Card,” a congres- ciple of a free people. These rights it. Water rights are a significant sional grading system pub- are threatened by House Bill 5319, “stick” in that bundle. With the lished by the Club for Growth which would place groundwater in introduction of House Bill 5319, in Washington, D.C. (www. public trust and require landowners Michigan property owners are ClubforGrowth.org). Higher to secure a permit from the state threatened by government action percentage scores identify the of Michigan in order to use that that would steal a stick from that politicians most willing to vote water. Sponsored by state Rep. Dan bundle and give it to the state. to remove earmarks, or “pork,” Midland, Michigan 48640 Michigan Midland, Scripps, D-Northport, the bill would Like most states east of the from the federal budget. There Permit #1776 Permit P.O. Box 568 568 Box P.O. essentially overturn more than a Mississippi River, Michigan is were 21 Republicans and one Fenton, MI Fenton, 140 West Main Street Main West 140 PAID PAID Mackinac Center for Public Policy Public for Center Mackinac century of Michigan water law. a riparian water-use state. In Democrat receiving perfect U.S. POSTAGE POSTAGE U.S. Capitol Confidential Capitol NONPROFIT ORG. NONPROFIT Property rights are often Michigan, if you own the land, you grades. Not one member from compared to a bundle of sticks. See “Public Trust,” Page 8 See “RePork Card,” Page 12 Michigan Capitol Confi dential jaNuaRy / febRuaRy 2010 | 2 Are you new to Michigan Capitol Confidential? Many of you have already e-mailed, written or phoned us to say that you’d like to remain on the mailing list for Michigan Capitol Confidential. If you haven’t contacted us yet, but would like to remain on our mailing list, please let us know! 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Braun, Senior Managing Editor, Michigan Capitol Confidential 989-631-0900 [email protected] Michigan Capitol Confidential jaNuaRy / febRuaRy 2010 | 3 ad liberties government to its proper role; to care more about getting the job Check done than getting the credit; to SEE “CorrECTIoN” bElow New Year’s Resolutions deploy our supporters’ resources prudently, frugally and precisely “Balancing act”: Lawmakers who voted IN FAVOR of allowing where they will have the greatest a cut of less than 3 percent to K-12 school aid payments for Real Reform impact; to make my board so as to balance the state budget without tax increases: SENaTE rEPUblICaNS (21) By JOsePh g. lehman represent the sector of society and co-workers glad to labor that produces the wealth and alongside me; to persevere and allen (R) garcia (R) kahn (R) Sanborn (R) ome historical social capital from which never give in to discouragement; birkholz (R) george (R) kuipers (R) Stamas (R) bishop (R) gilbert (R) mcmanus (R) Van woerkom (R) Sleaders famously everyone benefits; to expect and to seek God’s strength for brown (R) Hardiman (R) Pappageorge (R) wrote resolutions to government to act as an these things. Cassis (R) jansen (R) Patterson (R) help them achieve impartial referee and not an Happy holidays, and happy Cropsey (R) jelinek (R) Richardville (R) + lofty goals. Even active participant in the market; New Year! SENaTE DEmoCraTS (NoNE) if they didn’t keep to refuse to seek government them perfectly, they probably protection of my interests at Joseph G. Lehman is president of the HoUSE rEPUblICaNS (2) Mackinac Center for Public Policy. came closer than if they had set the expense of others; and to amash (R) mcmillin (R) their sights low. educate those I lead in sound HoUSE DEmoCraTS (NoNE) In that spirit, I humbly offer principles of government. Lawmakers who voted AGAINST a cut of less than these model resolutions for real 3 percent to K-12 school aid payments so as to reform of our troubled state as For CITIzENS CORRECTIoN we approach the new year. Resolved, to remember balance the state budget without tax increases: Thomas Jefferson’s observation n page 13 of the November/ SENaTE rEPUblICaNS (NoNE) For govErNmENT oFFICIalS that the price of liberty is December 2009 issue of SENaTE DEmoCraTS (15) Resolved, to read our eternal vigilance; to withhold MichiganO Capitol Confidential, anderson (D) Cherry (D) jacobs (D) Switalski (D) constitutions and my oath of support from those who a roll call vote accompanying barcia (D) Clark-Coleman (D) olshove (D) Thomas (D) office and pursue no action that promise people like me the article “Balancing Act” was basham (D) Clarke (D) Prusi (D) whitmer (D) brater (D) gleason (D) Scott (D) is not in strict fidelity to those special government favors, or not labeled properly. (Please see: documents; to pursue no policy something for nothing, or to www.mackinac.org/11464.) HoUSE rEPUblICaNS (41) that benefits my constituents foist today’s problems on our The article describes a vote agema (R) genetski (R) Lori (R) Rocca (R) ball (R) green (R) Lund (R) Rogers (R) at the expense of anyone else’s; children and grandchildren; in the Legislature to reduce K-12 bolger (R) Haines (R) marleau (R) Schmidt, w. (R) to maintain a voting record to actively support those who spending by less than 3 percent. booher (R) Hansen (R) meekhof (R) Schuitmaker (R) that matches my speeches; to advance sound policies; and The Michiganvotes.org roll call Calley (R) Haveman (R) meltzer (R) Scott, P. (R) acknowledge that government to educate our children on the description of how lawmakers Caul (R) Hildenbrand (R) moore (R) Stamas (R) is the means of protecting my proper role of government and voted correctly identifies those Crawford (R) Horn (R) moss (R) Tyler (R) Daley (R) jones, Rick (R) opsommer (R) walsh (R) constituents’ rights and freedoms the awful consequences of its lawmakers who were not willing Denby (R) knollenberg (R) Pavlov (R) and not the means by which abuses.