The Schmids

I am, of course, talking about Greg and his grandfather Allen. If you're more active than me in state politics, this last name is probably familiar. Greg is an attorney from Saginaw with a passion for petitions. He and his grandfather are currently sponsoring two initiatives I'd like to bring to your attention today.

First:
__The People's Choice Tax Repeal Amendment of 2008 is focused on removing the, for want of a more negative word, crippling tax hikes encumbering we the people. The amendment, once passed, will require popular approval for tax increases. Schmid calls it an "automatic referendum" which will force the government to reflect what families are required to do: cut expenses to make ends meet. The amendment also will standardize petition forms and limit the kinds of rules placed on the petition process.

My Take: HECK YES. That's all I have to say.

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__The second amendment (no pun intended) in petition form is simply the Part-Time Legislature Amendment of 2008. To create this Part-Time body, it limits regular annual sessions so that our reps would work from the second Wednesday in March to July 1. The amendment also makes available 20 extra days to be applied by the governor. To reflect the decreased amount of "work", annual lawmaker salaries would be cut from $79,950 to $40,000, their expense accounts limited, their pensions eliminated, the Officeholders' Compensation Commission dethroned (i.e. put all salary increases up before elections), install a $400/day absence fine, and eliminate lifetime medical coverage. In a totally unrelated point (just like the petition freedom advocacy of the above), requirement that the governor submit a balanced budget on time to avoid a censure.

My Take: I dont know about a Part-Time legislature...never really have. I know they really dont deserve full time service to the state nor do they deserve $79,950 but I would want to be a full-time legislature.... It's not for the money as you're thinking, I just love the 'politick'. I believe, in order to fairly create a part-time legislature, that you cannot together limit terms, work time, salaries, medical care, and pensions. While some of them are already filthy rich, some of them do quit their jobs and leave their families in order to work for the state. We should keep in mind that 'Politicians Are People Too.'

Before I'd sign this these changes would have to be made: extend or eliminate term limits, allow lifetime medical care for basic visits and alternative care only, make pensions equal to those of the lowest bracket of military veterans for 2009 (wouldn't include future increases in the armed forces), and change expense accounts to pay for travel with alternative fuels only (incentive to make them more available and cheaper).

Otherwise, I love the requirement on the executive.

To Download Either or Both, Visit THIS Site.
*Make sure to read the procedure!*