The Snyder administration has stuffed the fire hose in the back
closet in the governor's office. It will not be used this year after
getting quite a work out in 2011.
You've heard the phrase, "like drinking from a fire hose?" Well
that nails it for the new governor and his minions last year as
lawmakers were fed a gusher-like stream of legislation that did
everything from taxing pensions to balancing the budget three months
before the deadline.
The new year will be different the governor promises as he
indicates he will ask less from his "partners" in the house and senate.
He'll focuses on issues that won't garner many headlines but are still
part and parcel of the Snyder reinvention blueprint.
That will suit House members quite well, thank you very much.
They are up for re-election this new year and that becomes Job One,
even though it should not be thus.
If the governor has anything really controversial to jam through,
his window will be open for about four months or so and after that,
house members won't be voting on anything that could do them harm in
the August primary or the all-important November general election.
"The bridge will be back," intones the Lt. Gov. Brian Calley. You
know the bridge that went nowhere last year?
The gov. and company will also tackle the very unpopular Personal
Property Tax whereby businesses pay a tax to cities every time a new
piece of equipment is purchased from a pencil to a stamping machine.
Local governments are watching this puppy very closely because if
the PPT goes out the door, $800 million in local tax collections goes
with it.
The governor has promised he won't stiff the cities which he did
last year when slicing more state revenue sharing dollars from local
coffers.
So the next biggie is the second Snyder State of the State set
for Wednesday, January 18 at 7 p.m. on Michigan Public TV.
Bring you garden hose.