State Representative John Proos

State Representative John Proos was elected to the Michigan House in November 2004 to represent the 79th district in northern Berrien County.  Over the past ten years, John has worked on the staff of Congressman Fred Upton serving in several different capacities, most recently as deputy chief of staff and district director.  He has also worked as vice president of Heritage Homes Inc. of Michigan in Berrien County.  John has been appointed to the House Appropriations Committee for the 2007-2008 legislative session, and he is serving as minority vice chair of the Corrections and Environmental Quality subcommittees.  He is a member of the Joint Capital Outlay Committee and has been elected to serve on the Republican Caucus Leadership Team as caucus chair.

Monday

May 19, 2008

As our nation seeks alternative and more efficient forms of energy, companies are following suit and developing products that help residents reduce their energy usage and their costs. 

In today’s struggling economy, everyone is looking for ways to save money and improve efficiency. Recently I re-introduced legislation to encourage Michigan residents to purchase energy-efficient appliances at the retail price with no obligation to pay any sales or use tax on these items.

The home appliances included under this package are a clothes washer, dehumidifier, refrigerator, dishwasher, freezer, room air conditioner, air cleaner, and water cooler.  Purchasing energy efficient appliances is one way in which residents can reduce their energy costs.  I strongly believe we need to increase awareness for ENERGY STAR appliances and encourage families to replace their older appliances with more energy-efficient products.

Not only will purchasing energy efficient appliances save money and preserve resources, it will also support local businesses.  It’s a win-win for all of Michigan!

Check back tomorrow to hear John’s thoughts on the new Michigan Business Tax.

Tuesday

May 20, 2008

The New Michigan Business Tax

The new Michigan Business Tax has been in place for just a short time, and already the negative affects are becoming clear.

I recently held a press conference in Benton Harbor to discuss two local businesses and the very large increase they felt as a result of the MBT.  Abonmarche Consulting and Brammal Supply have been anchors of the Benton Harbor community for many years, and this year both business owners were shocked at the size of their Michigan Business Tax bill.  It is hard for these businesses to invest in Michigan’s great Southwest when they are sending so much money to Lansing.  Business taxes and the amount that Michigan businesses pay is only one of the tools that we need to be an attractive state for business and industry to grow jobs.  Strong schools, safe communities and a solid infrastructure are equally important.  After all, without employers willing to invest we would not have jobs for Michigan residents

My priority is to eliminate the 22 percent service tax that businesses had forced upon them last fall.  My office has been inundated with local businesses calling concerning their 100-400 percent increases in the Michigan Business Tax.  In November of 2007, I supported cuts and reforms that make this tax increase unnecessary.

We need to be looking at ways to secure jobs in Michigan.  The fastest way to success is returning Michigan to a competitive tax structure.  Businesses like Abonmarche and Brammall Supply will have only one choice, reduce costs by eliminating more Michigan jobs and eventually leaving the state to recoup their losses.

Check back tomorrow to hear John’s thoughts on a two-year budgeting cycle.

Wednesday

May 21, 2008

The Positives of Biannual Budgeting

I recently introduced a bipartisan measure urging the Legislature to adopt a two-year budget cycle to help increase legislative oversight and provide greater certainty for school districts and local government funding.

As our state faced a government shutdown, I recognized that as a Legislature we must re-examine how we appropriate tax dollars.  As it stands now, school districts and local governments face serious challenges to their own budget planning, especially when the state completes its budget so late.  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I believe that budgeting every other year will give state entities certainty in knowing exactly how much funding to expect.

Over half of the states use some form of biannual budgeting.  This list of states includes surrounding Midwest states of Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and Minnesota.  Biannual budgeting has proved effective in these states because greater oversight results in a reduction of the automatic growth of budgets each year.

The biannual budget process has been suggested in Michigan before by Gov. John Engler in 1994.  In order to make certain that spending and revenue receive legislative review in the second year, Engler proposed that similar departmental spending bills be introduced for each of the years in the cycle. 

This approach would require that the Legislature take additional action in the second year to determine new spending priorities and to appropriate any growth or reduction in revenue.  It is my hope that the Legislature takes a serious look at biannual budgeting so that we can better serve the people of Michigan.

Check back tomorrow to hear John’s thoughts on the Pure Michigan campaign.

Thursday

May 22, 2008

Pure Michigan

The Pure Michigan campaign has had great success in Michigan’s great southwest.  Our proximity to Lake Michigan makes our area an attractive tourism destination for in and out of state visitors.  And now during our time of economic slow down Michigan needs to work at further diversifying its economy.  This diversification needs to include the promotion of tourism, from agriculture to boating, to fishing and beach going, as a source of revenue.  The Pure Michigan campaign is designed to fill this need, and for the past few years the campaign has been running advertisements all over the U.S. telling people why Michigan is a great place to vacation.

Pure Michigan has even featured St. Joseph as one of Michigan’s “Featured Beachtowns,” making St. Joe one of just nine beaches in Michigan to receive that honor.

The Michigan House has seen how Pure Michigan has helped stimulate Michigan’s tourism economy.  As a result, bipartisan legislation awarded an estimated $60 million to Pure Michigan and other business advertising over two years. 

Check back tomorrow to hear John’s thoughts on supporting our troops and their families.

Friday

May 23, 2008

Support Our Troops and Their Families

There are thousands of United States servicemen and women throughout the world, serving our country.  From the shores of Normandy to the deserts of the Middle East, they have protected not only our freedoms, but the liberty and justice that the United States of America represents.

When talking about the incredible sacrifices that our fighting men and women make to serve their country, we tend to forget that their families have to make sacrifices too.  That is why I proudly support legislation that was recently approved by the House of Representatives that supports not only our troops, but their families as well.

When service members are deployed overseas, their family members will be able to take up to 10 days unpaid leave off of work to spend with them, without fear of losing their job.  This important legislation thanks not only our military, but the families that constantly support them as well.

It is very important that we recognize the efforts of everyone who makes sacrifices to protect our country, including those closest to our armed forces personnel.

Check back on Monday to hear from Ashley Aidenbaum from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).