is south of Maple Road) Issue 6 April/May 2007 LWV 101 Wednesday, April 25th, :00 p.m.

Transcription

1 The League of Women Voters Issue Oakland 8 Area 200 S. Washington Ave., Suite 4, Royal Oak, MI Phone: 248/ Fax: August 248/ website: President: Eva Packard Pres@lwvoa.org is south of Maple Road) Issue 6 April/May 2007 LWV 101 Wednesday, April 25th, :00 p.m. at St. Andrew Lutheran Church 6255 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Twp. (east side of Telegraph about 0.4 miles north of Maple) Parking on the North Side of Church Enter at Second Door from Street Get a handle on League. If you are new to the League or have been a member for some time and want to know more about our organization, this meeting is for you. Enjoy coffee and dessert while you hear about our history and mission. Learn more about Citizen Education, Advocacy, Membership, Fundraising, and Volunteer Opportunities. Learn League lingo. Do you know what an ILO or an MAL is? Do you know the difference between Consensus and Concurrence or Program and Programs? Come to the meeting and find out. Oakland Voter LWVOA ANNUAL MEETING Hope everyone has marked Saturday, June 2 nd, 9:30 a.m. at the beautiful Shenandoah Country Club on your calendar for our Oakland Area Annual Meeting with luncheon and speaker. You will be getting a mailing in early May with full details, but why not register early? Registration form on page 11. Looking forward to meeting you there. Xät The League of Women Voters, a non-partisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

2 LWVOA Board of Directors, PRESIDENT Eva Packard 1 st VICE PRESIDENT Vacancy 2 nd VICE PRESIDENT Sue Abrams - Membership 3 rd VICE PRESIDENT P. J. Royale - Development SECRETARY Lysa Postula-Stein TREASURER Fran Fisher DIRECTORS Judy Bateman Candidate Forums Jerry Burden Voter Sponsors Laura Gogola - Administrative Director Deb Horner Randa Keener State Liaison Tera Moon Website Administrator Bernadette Najor Immigration Study OFF-BOARD POSITIONS Mary Ann Barkach Voter production Dorothy Conrad - Administrative Support Mary How arth - Data Management Donna Sklar Voter Registration Edith Phillips - International Milla Wilson Public Relations NOMINATING COMMITTEE Mary Ann Barkach, Chair Linda DePoorter Barbara Rosalik Judy Bateman Laura Gogola THE OAKLAND VOTER is the official publication of the League of Women Voters. It is published eight times a year by the LWVOA. Articles and Letters to the Editor, w ith w riter's name, address and phone number may be sent to the LWVOA office. PRESIDENT S MESSAGE (by Eva Packard): The State of Michigan has a critical budget crisis. The current fiscal year ending Sept. 30th, 2007 has a $900 million deficit. In addition to the cuts already made in services (public education, police and fire, higher education, recreation, and mental health to name a few), I m sure you ve become aware that more are likely due to the reluctance of legislators to consider substantive increases in revenues. Without adequate funding, critical programs such as education, health and human services, and public safety are in jeopardy. As a Local League President, I have received several s from citizens asking us to be a voice in the legislature to consider other alternatives. I answer them that the League of Women Voters urges our state legislators to develop sources of revenue to put the state on a sound financial basis for the years to come, and I urge them to write their legislators also, as failure to establish reliable sources of revenue is a failure to invest in the future of the state. I am asking League members to also personally let our legislators know ASAP that spending cuts are not the answer to the budget deficit. Michigan services and infrastructure are already suffering from previous cuts of $3.2 billion over the past several years. A Task Force of the State League has documented in a 2006 report (available at how cuts made in previous years have affected the delivery of services in areas such as transportation, education, public safety, recreation, and mental health. There is no room to cut more. According to the respected Citizens Research Council of Michigan (which has analyzed the budget), Michigan cannot grow out of our problem without changing the revenue structure. See their website for a paper on Michigan s Budget Crisis and Prospects for the Future. The Michigan League for Human Services is another source for talking points. See Michigan s Fiscal Crisis on their website If we want to be a healthy society, we should be willing to pay taxes to ensure that needed services are available for our citizens. Michigan must develop sources of revenue that will provide dependable funding for the services we expect government to provide. In the next fiscal year, the scheduled elimination of the Single Business Tax will cut another $1.2 billion from the budget, adding to an already expected $1.4 billion shortfall. Investing in our future is a necessity. A resolution of this year s budget deficit is expected to be determined very soon, so act now. See our They Represent You brochures on our website and click on your community to get contact information on your State Representative and State Senator. Xät Page 2 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

3 David Koelsch and Scott Cooper prepare to answer questions, as Dorothy Conrad moderates. Immigration Meeting Sparks Lively Discussion By Bernadette Najor and Mary Ann Barkach Our March Immigration meeting at the Southfield Library with panelists David Koelsch and Scott Cooper clearly fascinated the many League members and guests who attended the meeting. After their initial comments, people lined up at the microphone with more questions than they had time to answer. David Koelsch, attorney and professor at University of Detroit Mercy, Secretary of the Michigan Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and former Legal Director for Freedom House, explained the various ways in which immigrants come into the United States (see article in our March Voter). He pointed out that Michigan is the second leading state in terms of accepting refugees, and that many of the Lost Boys of Sudan were accepted by church groups in the Grand Rapids area. He said that family-related immigration has been in place for many years, but has become increasingly formalized. Estimates for undocumented workers range from 7 to 15 million, and 60% are Mexican. We need to think through the implications of legislation, what the effect will be on families. Should we legalize them if they have been good people, paid taxes, etc.? Since 9/11, most changes have come in the realm of due process. Undocumented workers are not entitled to the same due process as the rest of us because they are not citizens. Their right of appeal has been limited, and the reasons for deportation have been beefed up with lower levels of crimes being elevated to deportable status. Continued on page 4 Page 3 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

4 Continued from page 3 - Immigration Scott Cooper, attorney and President of the Michigan Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, covered employment issues. He pointed out that temporary visas have long been given out for athletes, entertainers, skilled and unskilled workers, including hotel workers on Mackinac Island. In Michigan there are not enough farm workers. He pointed out that recent studies show that undocumented workers compete against other legal immigrant workers, not against native born Americans. (Koelsch pointed out one exception: young, male, black men are being displaced by immigrants.) One-half of people with advanced degrees working in Michigan are from abroad. Cooper said businesses always prefer to hire Americans because of the hassle of getting temporary visas, but that our colleges are not graduating enough people with the skills required. An example is the large number of nurses who cross over from Windsor to Detroit each day. There is a serious question as to whether the Dept. of Labor issues enough visas to cover the employment needs of business. Interesting facts that came out in the question and answer session: $475 million is spent in Michigan by university students from abroad; sometimes low level crimes can lead to deportation because of varying state laws; the Mexican economy would collapse if money was not sent back by immigrants in this country; last year 55,000 temporary visas were granted, but Congress allocated another 20,000 for people with advanced degrees educated in the U.S.; undocumented workers are staying longer because they are afraid to go back and forth. At the end of the question and answer session, Eva Packard asked the panelists their views on immigration reform. Scott Cooper answered that we must make enforcement realistic, secure the borders, protect workers, provide enough visas, improve the process, be fair to all, eliminate special allocations and eliminate the lottery. David Koelsch suggested that we must get control of the Southwest borders, re-vamp the refugee system, re-structure the family system to restrict it to parents and children and then move those slots to employers. He also believes we should strive to instill uniquely American values in immigrants, perhaps following the Canadian model. A big THANK YOU goes to all those who made this program possible: Dorothy Conrad who made arrangements with the Southfield Library, moderated and arranged for the refreshments, Judy Bateman who made contact with the speakers and handled notices to newspapers when DMA President Mary Koch became ill, Joan Heinicke who arrived early to help set up, Karen DeGrendel who helped with questions, and other LWVOA members who pitched in to help with last minute tasks. Lastly, we thank Sue Abrams and her calling committee: Edith Phillips, Barb Rosalik, Laura Gogola, Jerry Burden, Christine Jurgenson and Sue Montgomery. Bernadette Najor arranged for the evaluation forms, which indicated the following results: 90% said the program was excellent, 7% said it was very good, 3% said it was good. 96% said they will share the information they learned with others, 4% said they will not. 89% heard about the event from the Oakland Voter, 11% from league members. Suggestions for future topics regarding immigration were: a. The effect of immigration on education, health care, social work...etc. b. Human rights issues for documented and undocumented immigrants, including fair wages and protection from dangerous working conditions. c. Looking for immigrant solutions. d. Once we have a position, in addition to lobbying, we need to educate the population. e. How can we accommodate those Iraqis that have aided us but are now targeted? Page 4 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

5 Citizen Education by Eva Packard 13 School Districts, 1 City with Contested May Elections There are contested elections for the Tuesday, May 8 th elections in the following areas: (Unless otherwise indicated, terms are for 4 years.) Bloomfield Hills Schools Northville Schools 4 candidates for 2 seats + 4 candidates for 2 seats Bond Proposal Brandon Schools 3 candidates for 2 seats Clarkston Schools 4 candidates for 2 seats Hazel Park Schools 5 candidates for 2 seats + 1 candidate for a partial 2-year term Lake Orion Schools 3 candidates for 2 seats Lamphere Schools 2 candidates for 1 seat Madison Schools 4 candidates for 2 seats + Operating Millage Proposal Novi Schools 5 candidates for 2 seats + 2 (1 Write-In) for a partial 2-year term + Bond Proposal Oak Park Schools 3 candidates for 2 seats + Sinking Fund Renewal Proposal Pontiac Schools 5 candidates for 2 seats Walled Lake Schools 4 candidates for 2 seats West Bloomfield Schools 3 candidates for 2 seats + 2 candidates for a partial 1-year term City of Bloomfield Hills Commission 4 candidates for 3 seats (2-year terms) Eight school districts (Clarenceville, Clawson, Farmington, Ferndale, Holly, Huron Valley, Oxford, Southfield) have no contested board seats on the ballot. Clawson Schools has a Sinking Fund Renewal Proposal. Avondale, Berkley, Birmingham, Rochester, Royal Oak, and South Lyon Schools will have their board elections in November 2007, while Waterford Schools will hold theirs in November Local Community Proposals on the ballot include: the City of Ferndale with a Library Millage; Lyon Township with a Library Millage; Milford Township with a Fire Millage Renewal; and Orion Township with Library Bond, Safety Path Millage Renewal & Safety Path Bond Proposals. CANDIDATE FORUMS scheduled as of this writing: Pontiac Schools on Monday, 4/16, at 6: 00 p.m. (Coordinator: Sybil Levenson) at Pontiac City Hall, Council Chambers, Woodward Ave, Pontiac, MI Novi Schools on Tuesday, 4/17, at 7: 00 p.m. (Coordinator: Judy Lessin) at Instructional Technology Center (ITC), Taft Rd, Novi, MI Clarkston Schools on Wednesday, 4/18, at 7: 00 p.m. (Coordinator: Jerry Burden) at Clarkston Schools Administration Bldg, 6389 Clarkston Rd, Clarkston, MI Bloomfield Hills Schools on Monday, 4/23, at 7: 30 p.m. (Coordinator: Dorothy Conrad) at Andover High School, 4200 Andover Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI Lake Orion Schools on Thursday, 4/26, at 7: 00 p.m. (Coordinator: Don McHarness) at Orion Township Library, 825 Joslyn Rd, Lake Orion, MI Leaguers are also working to set up forums for Oak Park and West Bloomfield Schools and the Bloomfield Hills City Commission and possibly others. Check our website ( and click on Candidate Forums to see updates to the Candidate Forum schedule. Click on REFRESH to be sure you are looking at the current forum status. Continued on page 6 Page 5 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

6 Continued from page 5 Citizen Education Questionnaires were mailed to ALL candidates, whether in contested or uncontested races. VOTER GUIDES with their responses are being posted on our website as they are completed and should all be posted no later than April 10 th. Alissa Terrell responded to candidate ed responses. Laura Gogola typed responses that were not received via . Ann Bieneman and Sarah Westerman prepared the Voter Guides. Tera Moon posted the guides online. Click on REFRESH to be sure you are looking at the current guide status. Updates of They Represent You brochures on our Website Tera Moon updated our eight They Represent You (TRY) brochures online to reflect last year s election results and verified and updated information common to all brochures. Tera has been coordinating the verification effort to assure that the rest of the information in those brochures is current. She thanks: Ann Edwards for the Rochester Area TRY Sandy Sanchez for the Farmington Area TRY Don McHarness for the Pontiac Area TRY Dorothy Conrad for the Birmingham Area TRY Karen Linnell for the Royal Oak Area TRY Judy Lessin for the Southfield Area TRY Betty Spehar & Laura Gogola for the Novi/Milford Area. Don McHarness & Carole Cotter Bodner for the North Oakland County TRY. A major THANKS goes to Tera for coordinating and updating our TRYs. Tera has converted the Rochester and Farmington TRYs to print format so they can go to the printer and be distributed. Thanks to Karen DeGrendel for obtaining sponsors again for the Rochester TRY. We are looking for sponsors for the other TRYs. For $500, we can get up to 5,000 copies of a TRY. Call our office ( ) or pres@lwvoa.org if you have a sponsor to suggest or would be willing to contact a business or organization. In Memoriam Barbara Butterworth, a longtime Rochester Area LWV member and a Past-President of it, died on March 11th of heart related problems. She was a graphic artist who willingly made signs and posters for LWVRA, as well as always participating in new citizen events. Janis Waxenberg, 81, of Huntington Woods died on March 13 th. Janis taught citizen classes for incoming immigrants, was a member and leader of a Great Decisions Group at SOAR (Society of Active Retirees), and Vice President of the Institute of Retired Professionals. 6 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

7 AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU! Delegate Slots Available to the LWV of Michigan State Convention As the largest League in the state of Michigan, we are entitled to 13 delegates for the State Convention in Alpena on May th. This is a fine opportunity to meet Leaguers from all over the state and learn how our organization works. Oakland Area has several openings for delegates and new members are welcome. Contact Eva Packard at (see membership directory for contact information) if you might be interested in attending the convention. LET'S MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE by P.J. ROYALE, V.P of Development Would you like to make a positive contribution in your community, while helping LWVOA LWVOA has wonderful projects in which you can participate, while you utilize your skills and make a positive community contribution at the same time. Plus you will meet positive and energetic women and men of your community. The following projects need your help: COMMUNCATION AND FUN RAISING: * LWVOA YOUTH PSA (Public Service Annoucement) CONTEST * WINE TASTING TOUR * MASQUERADE PARTY * LWVOA ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER * FUN RAISING TO HELP LWVOA VOTER REGISTRATION: * REGISTERING VOTERS AT LOCAL SITES * REMEMBRANCE PROJECT If interested in any of the above PROJECTS, e- mail yepintl@yahoo.com. I need your NAME, E MAIL AND TELEPHONE NUMBER AND WHEN YOU ARE AVAILABLE TO VOLUNTEER. Let's make a difference, help LWVOA, meet wonderful people who are making a positive contribution to Oakland County and have a lot of FUN. 7 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

8 Facts on the Michigan Budget Crisis from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan for more info go to The Central Message Is: The State of Michigan has a structural deficit affecting: -Public K-12 education -General Fund financed programs Its causes have both spending and revenue components We will not grow out of it Significant spending cuts and/or tax increases will be required The Michigan Budget How the Public s Money is Spent Total state budget - $41.7B State s two major funds: - General Fund - $9.2 B - School Aid Fund - $13.1 B Other state funds are restricted for other purposes, e.g. transportation, federal revenues Over 80% of all revenues are spent locally schools, hospitals, universities, roads. Michigan s Budgetary Morass Seven years of spending cuts FY2007 General Fund revenues lower than in FY1996 School aid fund annual growth since % Nearly $7 billion in one-time resources used Reserves exhausted Weakened connection between revenue structure and the economy Spending pressures growing faster than revenues Revenues Self-inflicted changes in revenue structure - Tax rate cuts - Federal changes in tax law (such as estate taxes) and failure to amend state law - Increased use of slow or no-growth revenue sources (e.g. tobacco taxes) Weakening connection of economy with revenues - Sales Tax - Income Tax Structural Revenue Issues Revenue system reflects economy of the 50s, 60s, and 70s Revenues grow more slowly than economy Income tax growing slowly Consumption taxes are goods-oriented Relatively few services are taxed Services are over half of private sector economic activity Medicaid Medical care for one in seven Michigan citizens Future spending growth pressures, 8 to 9 percent annually Some state revenues dedicated to Medicaid do not grow Tobacco Settlement revenues, Cigarette Tax General Fund requirements grow faster than total Medicaid spending General Fund spending pressures outpace revenue growth by 3 to 4 times. Corrections Largest state-operated program 30 percent of state employees More than 50,000 prisoners 58 prisons and camps $30,000 per prisoner cost per year $1.9 billion budget Incarceration rate 40% higher than Great Lakes Neighbors -the result: $500 million higher costs Health Care Health care everywhere in budget growing faster than revenues Largest component in state budget -Medicaid -Health insurance for school and state employees -Health insurance for school and state retirees -Prisoners health care Options: Broadening the Sales and Use Taxes Base Most services not taxed Services constitute more than ½ private economic activity Starting point - $8.8 Billion Revenues would grow faster than current Sales & Use Taxes Would socially valuable services such as medical care and education be exempt - $2.9 billion? Business to business services Pyramiding could create multiple taxation problem - $3.6 B Income Tax Options: Increase or Restructure? Raise tax rate and personal exemption amount Eliminate some income exclusions (e.g. retirement above an income threshold) Graduated income tax Constitutional amendment required Restructuring would cause revenues to grow faster even if starting point is revenue-neutral It is our responsibility to check out Governor Granholm s plan as well as the Republican plan and make our voices heard to our legislators! Solving this problem cannot be delayed. 8 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

9 9 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

10 10 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

11 You should be able to keep your hard earned money. You know how to spend it better than the government. How often have you heard those words? It is important that we accept our responsibility as citizens to decide what services we expect our government to provide - and then provide for adequate funding. Which of the services listed below would you want to eliminate or cut or could you provide for yourself? Here are excerpts from a list compiled by The Michigan League for Human Services of some of the ways in which public services touch the lives of Michigan residents. We start our day with a shower, we shave, we make coffee all of which are made possible by a municipal water system that provides a constant supply of water; We flush our toilets thanks to reliable municipal sewage, septic and drainage systems. We drive on roads and streets built and maintained by state, county and municipal road systems; We take our children to day care centers and other day care providers who are licensed by the State of Michigan as being qualified to provide care; A large majority of our children attend public schools or state universities or colleges; Many of us have elderly parents who receive in-home services or reside in nursing homes that are licensed and inspected by the State of Michigan; often our parents care is paid through the State s Medicaid program; Local police, sheriff and fire departments keep us safe in our homes and in our neighborhoods; As we travel on the state s highways, we are protected by State Police patrols; rest stops along the way are maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation; Our family members, friends and neighbors with mental health problems receive needed services; those with disabilities are helped to live independently in their homes and communities; Local public library systems enhance the learning opportunities available to our children and provide access to books and literature for everyone in the community; Local and state parts provide recreational opportunities for Michigan s children and families. Think about it ANNUAL MEETING Registration Form (Cut off and mail) Name Phone: Yes, I will attend Annual Meeting and Luncheon. Cost: $30.00 Select Meal: Chicken Salad Tortellini Primavera Yes, I will attend Annual Meeting, but not Luncheon ($5.00) No, I cannot attend, but would like Annual Meeting Workbook sent to me. ($5.00) Please include check for $30.00 payable to LWVOA by May 18. Mail to: Frances Fisher (see membership directory for mailing address) 11 Oakland Voter April/May 2007

12 The League of Women Voters Oakland Area 200 S. Washington Ave., Suite 4 Royal Oak, MI The League of Women NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 32 BIRMINGHAM, MI A Voice for Citizens, A Voice for Change Time Dated Material Enclosed Calendar of Events Mon., Apr, 16 7:00 p.m. LWVOA Board Meeting Residence Inn Novi, Cabaret Dr., Novi, MI. April (See Page 5) Candidate Forums for May 8 th school & local elections Check our website for latest schedule and cable reruns. Wed., Apr. 25 7:00 p.m. LWV 101 A program for new and not-so-new LWV members St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 6255 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI Fri.-Sun, May LWV of Michigan State Convention, Alpena, MI Sat., June 2 10:00 a.m. LWVOA Annual Meeting, Shenandoah Country Club 5600 Walnut Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Oakland Voter April/May 2007