Pennfield sisters and students, Mikayla and Shannon Diech, recently started a website and e-petition to present to the State Legislature. The sisters are getting electronic petitions from any school stakeholders or concerned citizens that are frustrated by the cuts to public education in our state.  It is estimated that as federal stimulus dollars dry up, that further cuts could exceed $268 per student. Cuts of $165 per student have already impacted the way schools are run and the opportunities available to students.

Help Mikayla and Shannon out, go to their website and online petition at:

www.savemischool.com

I stumbled upon this issue when recently asked a survey question from the Michigan Information & Research Service in Lansing. The survey asked if I would vote to allow casino gaming, nicknamed “Racinos”, at Michigan’s racetracks. Upon some investigation, I learned that Indian and the three Detroit casinos are exempt from paying Michigan taxes. The three Detroit Casinos only pay an 8% tax to the City of Detroit. Racinos would not be exempt from paying Michigan taxes and it is estimated that allowing this form of gambling at racetracks would bring in an additional $400 million in revenue to the State. The Indian and Detroit casinos found a back-door loophole several years ago to prevent these racetracks from launching casinos and competing.

Now granted, I don’t want a casino in every town in Michigan. Furthermore, I do feel that having more selective/large-scale gambling venues is probably better for tourism. But nonetheless, aren’t racetracks already an arena for sanctioned gambling? And why would we stall an effort that could potentially bring in substantive tax revenue and create more jobs. If one were to go to spend some money at a casino, I think it would make more sense to gamble at a venue that produces revenue for our state than at a place where my money merely goes down the drain. These racetracks are not asking to build more casinos in everyone’s backyard, they are merely asking to enhance venues that already exist.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Check out these links on the topic:

• Issues Concerning Racino Development in Michigan
• ‘Racino’ race is on
• Petition for ‘racinos’ now under way

For the last couple weeks, I have been reading up on the proposed “West Michigan Air Alliance.” After considerable thought, I have decided that I am firmly opposed to the proposed ‘Alliance.’ Below, I have outlined some rationale for my position on the issue.

The first red-flag should be that the ring-leader of the effort to consolidate all the West Michigan regional airports is non-other than former GOP Gubernatorial Candidate and former Amway CEO and President of Windquest Group, Dick DeVos.

I say this because anytime the cheerleaders for a massive change in transportation policy are solely wealthy business people (many Billionaires), I question what it will do to small business and the working-class. According to several sources, the new alliance is made up of business executives from all over West Michigan: Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Traverse City. Nonetheless, it is important to note that all proponents are wealthy individuals or large-scale businesses.

The aim of this group of wealthy business executives is to consolidate all of the West Michigan airports to become a larger and more “competitive” airport. The hope is that a consolidated Grand Rapids airport would be better able to compete with Chicago and Detroit, provide more competitive fares, and more travel options. The business executives are hoping for cheaper business travel flights for its employees and stakeholders and economic growth for the Grand Rapids-area.

Although all these positive changes are true, they primarily hold true for Grand Rapids (and only Grand Rapids). Just as in business, when the market share in one company grows, it’s largely at the depletion of some other entity’s cut of the pie. In the case of the alliance, the smaller regional airports would close and the Kalamazoo area would fall prey to Grand Rapids political and business elite. In turn, local businesses and hotels would lose customers. Many of the businesses along Portage Road and hotels on Sprinkle Road (near I-94), depend heavily on airport travelers. Furthermore, although the alliance claims that jobs would be transferred from the other area airports to Grand Rapids, the Kalamazoo area will lose its airport employees, any nearby dependent business jobs, and potential travelers. (more…)

It’s now official…be sure to mark your calendar for Saturday April 17, 2010 for our big fundraising soiree at the Radisson Hotel in Downtown Kalamazoo. The event will consist of great company, a new speech, blues bands, and tasty hor d’oeuvres. More in-depth details to come shortly…just wanted to give everyone a “heads up” to mark your calendar and help spread the word.

As part of my commitment through my Constituent Compact we have asked people to submit their questions for me to answer in periodic youtube video responses. The importance to keep our lines of communication open are imperative. If you have a question you would like answered feel free to comment below or email chrisforkzoo@gmail.com.