If we are to succeed, we must learn to work together. My platform is based on establishing a state budget based on the priorities of our communities: education, health care, public safety and services for children and seniors.
We must address much needed structural changes to the budget. I will work to bring to the State’s budget the practices that we have applied to make Oakland County fiscally sound, such as adopting a multi-year budget and implementing the Emerging Sectors program to attract high paying, sustainable, knowledge-based jobs to our region.
I invite you to review my priorities and platform for moving our communities forward as your next State Representative.
-Eric Coleman
As the former President of the Southfield School Board, I remain a staunch supporter of the public school system. Education and job creation and retention are my top priorities.
Stable and sustainable funding is needed for K-12, community colleges and public universities. I will fight to strengthen our schools and provide EVERY student with the skills they need to make them successful in a globally competitive environment. As your State Representative, my initiatives include:
- Assuring that all school districts have equitable funding.
- Measuring student achievement more broadly than the current standardized test.
- Developing curriculums that prepare students for the jobs and careers of the 21st century.
- Building learning partnerships between businesses and schools.
Michigan’s spending for Community College is down by about one-fifth and general fund spending on universities is down by more than a quarter. In order to move our communities and families forward, we must invest in having a highly trained and skilled work force that can compete in a global economy. I will work to make training and education affordable and accessible for all.
I will work to redirect overspending on incarceration to provide increased funding for education. In order to move our families forward, we must invest in having a highly trained and skilled work force.
My strategy for Michigan’s economic development focuses on supporting existing businesses, along with diversifying our economic base by aggressively pursuing new technologies. In order to create and retain jobs, I will work to pass legislative initiatives which create a business climate that encourages innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
Stabilizing revenue sharing for our local communities is of critical importance. The ability of local cities and townships to provide needed services, especially police and fire protection, depends on this revenue stream from the state. I will work with our local leaders and the legislature to prevent raids on revenue sharing dollars.
As a County Commissioner, I have witnessed the impact of unfunded mandates from the state and federal government. I will work to eliminate these unfair and unfunded requirements which place an undue burden on our local communities.
My initiative for improving Michigan’s economy is to create a business friendly environment where businesses can thrive and grow by:
- Reducing the burdensome red tape and regulations that make it difficult for businesses to operate in Michigan.
- Linking university research and training with small businesses and entrepreneurs.
- Putting an equitable business tax structure in place.
- Tax incentives for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
My emphasis will be on supporting small and medium sized businesses. Incentives should be provided for hiring displaced and retrained workers. All incentives and/or tax abatements to any business – large or small - should be contingent upon job creation.
There needs to be an entire overview of the existing and complicated system that provides over $30 billion in tax incentives and tax breaks to make certain that those businesses that are benefitting are also producing the jobs and economic activity that was promised.
The State needs to address structural changes to the budget. Some of the structural changes and/or cost reductions that I will seek to have adopted include:
- Implementing recommendations in performance/financial audits.
- Consolidating state government departments
- Eliminating undocumented and fraudulent payments - a state audit last year found $230 million in undocumented and potentially fraudulent payments.
- Reducing costs in Department of Corrections: excess overtime; better price negotiations for products/services; undocumented transportation costs, etc.
- State funding needs to be more fairly redistributed in order to return to Oakland County and its communities a fair share of the tax dollars sent to Lansing.
Mass transit is essential to the survival of Southeast Michigan. It must be efficiently run and operated. Every effort must be made to receive federal funding to build a strong and sustainable mass transit infrastructure. State funding needs to be redistributed to provide Southeast Michigan with a level of funding comparable to the needs of the population and ridership.
I will focus on revising the formula for the distribution of gas tax revenue to give priority to those communities with the greatest density of roads and population – especially Oakland County and its communities.
Michigan’s corrections budget is out of control. The number of Corrections employees has tripled since 1980. Dept. of Corrections employees now comprise over 30 percent of all state Civil Service employees and 20 percent of the Michigan General Fund. It does not make sense for our State to spend more on incarceration that on education. Areas to address the costs in the Department of Corrections include:
- Michigan has a higher incarceration rate than neighboring states. We should investigate what is the cause and incorporate alternative to incarceration measures.
- Management oversight to control overtime costs, undocumented transport costs, prison guard bonuses, dry cleaning allowances, shift reorganization, negotiations for better prices for goods/services.
Michigan’s taxes are not appropriately distributed. Oakland County has been a “donor county” for far too long – by sending more local tax dollars to Lansing than are received in return through revenue sharing or services. Since Southeast Michigan was especially hard hit with the decline in the auto industry, it is time for Lansing to have resources redirected to serving the region with the largest population and the greater need from the state.
Michigan’s tax system is fundamentally flawed. We want a fair state tax system that:
- Provides sustainable revenues for essential public services.
- Adapts to the changing nature of the economy.
- Provides an equitable and competitive environment for economic growth.
Emphasis should be on supporting small and medium sized businesses. Incentives should be provided for hiring displaced and retrained workers. All incentives and/or tax abatements to any business – large or small - should be contingent upon job creation.
I will seek an entire overview of the existing and complicated system that provides over $30 billion in tax incentives and tax breaks to make certain that those businesses that are benefitting are also producing the jobs and economic activity that was promised.
