Response from House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (Mt. Morris Township) to the Governor's 2012 State of the State Speech

• Good evening.

• I’m Rick Hammel, Democratic Caucus Leader in the Michigan House of Representatives.

• In his State of the State speech, Gov. Snyder talked about his vision for Michigan.

• We all want to get Michigan’s economy going and make our state great again.

• The problem is that the Governor’s vision leaves far too many people behind.

• The people of Michigan deserve solutions that work for everyone, not just a few.

• Instead, our state has seen corporations get a $1.7 billion tax break that lets 95 percent of corporations off the hook and puts the burden on our students, seniors and working families.

• That burden came with no accountability for corporations, and in fact we have not seen the jobs that were promised.

• What we DID see is a $1 billion cut to our kids’ education that was totally unnecessary

• We saw our seniors pensions’ taxed for the first time
  ever

• We saw unprecedented cuts to unemployment benefits removing the safety net that our struggling workers and families depend on.

• We saw our residents’ constitutional rights violated with “referendum-proof” laws and the unprecedented emergency manager law that strips residents of their voice

• And we saw the middle class lose even more ground with attacks on collective bargaining and the demonizing of teachers, police and other public employees.

• All of these actions go against the values that Michigan residents believe in.

• Yet despite massive objections by residents from all over the state and without allowing Democrats in the Legislature to have a seat at the table â?¦ these policies and other harmful bills were signed into law.

• We cannot move our state forward with a one-sided government that does not respect the voices and rights of its citizens.

• We have a Legislature that is too often focused on passing laws that are just mean-spirited and don’t produce results for our residents.

• Make no mistake when you look at the numbers - unemployment is down only because these workers have given up on finding another job.

• As long as the Legislature and the Governor continue to ignore the needs of our residents, Michigan will not truly move forward.

• The successes we have seen both in the private and public sector come from collaboration.

• In fact, the recent good news about Michigan’s economy is largely due to the hard work between labor and management in the auto industry and the bipartisan work done by others in the past.

• And this is how things SHOULD be done - as a partnership working toward a common goal.

• Michigan needs a vision that we can all share: a new direction built on a partnership between public and private sectors, between workers and business, between Republicans and Democrats

• Our invitation to Governor Snyder stands, as it has on day one

• House Democrats invite the Governor and Republican leaders to listen to the people of Michigan, and work with us as their representatives

• rather than shutting out and over-ruling the very people our government is supposed to serve.

• We know that residents want surplus dollars put back in to the classroom - and House Democrats will fight to make that happen.

• Our children need and deserve a world-class education so they can succeed - and Michigan needs world-class workers for our economy to thrive.

• We are working to support the creation of good-paying jobs, through infrastructure projects including the New International Trade Crossing, more investments in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and other high-tech sectors.

• We are working to create safe, vibrant communities that enable healthy families to thrive and attract talented young people.

• House Democrats are working to make Michigan welcoming to business by reducing red tape, streamlining

• government processes and reforming licensing and regulation in order to help businesses prosper

• And we are working to reform government, cut waste and provide the accountability and transparency that residents deserve.

• This year, I sincerely hope the Governor, the Speaker, and the Majority leader will listen to the people and work to improve Michigan for all residents, not just improve profits for CEO’s.

• And this year, more than ever, House Democrats will fight to put the PEOPLE of Michigan FIRST at the Capitol.

• And we will fight to make Michigan great again as a place where everyone has the opportunity to learn, work and succeed.

• Thank you.