The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Byrnes seeks final term in state House
Representative hosts Manchester coffee hour at village hall Monday
By Daniel Lai, Editor
PUBLISHED: June 12, 2008
Editor's note: In an effort to reach out to local constituents, state Rep. Pam Byrnes, D-Dist. 52, will hold a coffee hour from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at the Manchester Village Hall.
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Recently, the staff of The Manchester Enterprise met up with Byrnes to discuss problems facing Michigan residents, her outlook for the upcoming election and future goals if elected to a final term in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Byrnes is running against Eric Lielbriedis of Saline in the November elections.
Manchester Enterprise: Why have you decided to seek another term in the House of Representatives and what would you like to see accomplished if elected back?
Pam Byrnes: I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to serve the 52nd district for the last two terms. I look forward to continuing my work advocating for issues that are important to the people of Washtenaw County.
I would like to continue my work with the statewide transportation funding task force to strategically plan for the long-term stability of a comprehensive, statewide transportation system and the development of an inter-modal hub for Southeast Michigan. I would also like to establish a higher education funding policy that consists of a stable revenue stream from year to year, so that our world class universities can continue to train the highly educated work force that Washtenaw County businesses depend on.
I would like to continue promoting the importance of early childhood education. Early child development is the foundation for community and economic development, as capable children become the foundation of a prosperous and sustainable society.
ME: What do you feel is the biggest issue facing residents of Washtenaw County and Michigan right now and what are you working on to address that issue?
PB: As has been said often, "It's the economy, stupid." We need to continue to attract talent and businesses to Michigan and Washtenaw County. However, there is no one single, or simple, answer for how to achieve that goal.
We need to create an environment that fosters entrepreneurship. Our cities need to be places where young people want to work and live. That's going to require an investment in our infrastructure, including a comprehensive mass transit system. I also believe that we will need to invest in a quality of life that includes a vibrant cultural community, a healthy environment for all to enjoy, and a diverse population that will be welcoming to global investment.
I have dedicated my time in the Legislature to working toward these goals.
ME: Both the House and Senate want to revise Michigan's mandatory helmet law, did you vote yes on this issue and if so, why do you think it will be good for Michigan? If not, why not?
PB: I voted against this legislation. Helmets are an important part of motorcycle safety. The statistics have consistently shown that helmets help to reduce rates of injuries. I also consider this a matter of fiscal responsibility.
These injuries affect everything from the families and friends of the injured to insurance rates for the rest of the drivers on the road.
Many experts believe this legislation will lead to an increase in severe head injuries. Since motorcycle riders contribute a smaller share to the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, and since they are responsible for larger amounts of claims, motorcycle accidents account for a disproportionate share of money paid out of the MCCA.
Ultimately, changing this law will result in higher insurance premiums for everyone. It is my concern for passing these very real costs onto consumers that affected my vote on this bill.
ME: As a state representative, what have you done in the course of your last term that constituents can safely justify saying they elected someone to represent them?
PB: While not representing my constituents in Lansing, I spend most of my time in my district working with local leaders and meeting with constituents at various community events.
I have hosted numerous coffee hours that give people an opportunity to meet with me in an informal setting to share their concerns with me regarding any topic related to state government. I have also hosted several town hall meetings on issues ranging from transportation, the state budget process, early childhood education, water and rural issues.
My office staff joins me when I go door to door in our neighborhoods to find out what issues are most pressing for our families and they handle numerous constituent issues on a daily basis. I try to attend as many local government meetings as my schedule allows; this provides me with an opportunity to facilitate greater cooperation between state agencies and our local leaders.
I also enjoy the time I have been able to spend in our classrooms, whether it be planting trees or reading with children.
ME: What aspect of state government do you enjoy the most? What brings you back to seek another term?
PB: I truly enjoy the challenge to improve our quality of life in Michigan. We have so many critical issues facing us today, from health care to education, protecting our natural resources and creating good paying jobs.
I take pride in the opportunity to help people with the immediate concerns that they have in their day-to-day lives, whether it be helping them through a foreclosure, getting medical assistance, or helping with a tax problem.
Similar to starting a new business, it takes a few years to understand the intricacies of the business. This is true for the Legislature. There is an enormous amount of information to become familiar with. To be an effective legislator, one must be able to study critical issues such as health care, energy, and education and budget constraints while also dealing with the particular concerns of the district.
Along with my capable staff, I have been able to work to achieve this balance. Now, I want to continue to effectively represent my district.
ME: Lack of education funding has caused a lot of schools to make deep budget cuts and turn to privatization of support services jobs, what can be done at the state level to bring more money back into the school system and what have you done or proposed to help ease school funding issues?
PB: When we discuss this issue, it is important to remember that our school funding level is determined according to Proposal A. Proposal A was enacted in 1994 and relies mainly on our sales tax (which was raised to 6 cents per dollar with the elimination of reliance on property tax), the lottery, the real estate transfer tax and the state education tax to fund school operations.
In 1994, we had a robust economy and sales tax revenue could sustain the increasing demands of our school districts. This is no longer the situation. Sales revenue is not as robust as we have come to expect, and property values have declined, which has reduced our state education funding. At the Estimating Revenue Conference in May, it was reported that sales tax revenue was up only 1.5 percent and that revenue from the real estate transfer tax, lottery and state education tax had actually declined.
While the state has faced some difficult economic times over the past few years, I have made education funding my top priority. I have supported increases in funding when it was available, in the form of increased foundation allowances, declining enrollment, etc.
I am also supportive of consolidation of certain services when necessary and appropriate. The savings from these consolidations can go directly into the classroom.
ME: Gas prices and economic downturn seem to be the talk of the town, what is the Legislature doing to address these problems?
PB: High gas prices are a burden that our entire country is facing, and it will take stronger regulation and intervention at the federal level to address this looming crisis.
As for the economic downturn, we have moved several proposals to help struggling families across the state. The governor has signed the "Save the Dream" package, which addresses the current foreclosure crisis. We have also passed the "Hire Michigan First" package, which ensures that companies that receive economic incentives from the state, hire Michigan workers first.We are working on a few major job-creating plans: the Capitol Outlay bill, which will create an estimated 29,000 jobs across the state; and expansion of the No Worker Left Behind program, just to name a few.
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