Burgess Foster
Democratic Independent
Michigan House of Reps
Wayne County District 5
Why are you running for office?
I am running for The Michigan House of Reps., in District 5: To improve all of Michigan with my creative ideas, industrious work ethic and innovative approach of evidenced based management. The State of Michigan seriously needs "gigantic leadership" according to Nolan Finley of the Detroit News and I agree. Leadership that understands Green Policy, the Management of the Budget, and who can break from their Party Caucus when necessary to advocate programs and legislation that will sanguinely impact and return benefits on outlays.
What is the biggest problem facing Michigan residents today and how would you solve it?
The biggest problem facing Michigan Reisidents are burdensome property taxes that are not indexing to their property's valuation: Why are citizens paying higher property taxes while their property valuations are plummeting? Why are Michigan businesses and new entrepreneurs being thwarted from expanding and hiring by unproductive tax structures in the SBT/MBT? Why are higher population areas like Detroit and Flint with the highest unemployment rates not getting a concerted urban policy effort from Lansing to turnabout two of the largest cities that have the highest drag coefficient on the state's turnaround? Even if it means "demanding" forensic audits before Revenue Sharing is doled out or, using the Revenue Sharing to pay for an Forensic Audit of several of its largest expenditure to weed out malfeasance. What the State of Michigan needs is "Trickle Up Economics-not Trickle Down!" By cutting the tax burden on home owners and small business owners in particular it is envisaged that it will stimulate the sector that has the greatest impact in our economy, e.g., small businesses, and those at the lowest point who need Wall Street perks on Main St. Michigan: to wit, the home owners. By so doing, spending is encouraged in the local enconomy and small business can be buffeted to expand operations. Not to mention an unresponsive governance structure that does not seem to understand strategic budgets, and leadership by example in making more hefty administrative cuts to hold the line if not increase safety net programs like Higher Education and Post Secondary Education. How else can we retain a Talented and Globally Competitive Workforce?
What's a better solution: finding revenue or cutting costs to meet Michigan's public education budget? How would you do it?
A better solution to finding revenue is to analzye the budget better is to leverage the research that has been done by the Center of Michigan and its "Michigan's Defining Moment", e.g., outsource ALL non-core services-which will make Government more efficient and productive. For example, consolidating the Univesity System into one instead of 13 different fifedoms. All 13 campus would share central purchasing with one President and 12 Chancellors or One CEO and 12 Campus Presidents. How can we advocate service sharing and regionalization when the State does not take the lead? A strategic budget of muliple years would allow the legislature to better forecast (a function of management) spending and revenue generation. Both of these ideas would help Michigan meet its Education Budget. Redoing Term Limits makes the legislature more productive, e.g., going to two four year terms in the House and two six year terms in Senate. Concomitantly, going to a UniCameral legislature would make the passage of laws more swift by eliminating one step and moreover, one Chamber would encourage the elimination of 74 or half of the total number of legislators-why have 148 members in two chambers? Think of the saved legacy costs and salaries???
What's the best way to create jobs for Michigan residents?
The State of Michigan must take a Kenyesian approach to the economy here. By that I mean a truely market approach is failing. However, leadership in the Gubenatorial office buttressed by clever leaders in the House such as myself could augment job growth in a fast growing sector. A propos, the State could mandate that all buildings within the State's purview, e.g., prisons, universities and all K-12 schools convert over to LED Lighting. This would immediately drive the demand for alternative energy sources that would lessen our carbon footprint and create a 1,000,000,000 industry. If the Michigan First program applies, then start-ups could be launced in the Tech Town corridor or under-utilized Detroit Industrial corridor that could foster a Commercial Property Redistribution of Government buildings-at all levels of government-into an incubator land bank that could see Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park as sparks that could ignite a turnaround Engine in the Economy. In addition, the new governor rather it be Bernero or Hoekstra could issue an Executive Order under Emergency Powers to mandate further that all gas stations offer multiple E85 pumps and
