A roundup of recent Michigan newspaper editorials

The Detroit News. December 14, 2016

Put pensions on to-do list.

Michigan lawmakers briefly considered tackling school employee pension reform in their lame-duck session. It’s off the table for now, and while that was a relief to many teachers, the problems facing the system are real - and not going away. This must be a top legislative priority early next year.

Plenty of GOP lawmakers have already voiced their support for taking on in the next session the Michigan Public School Employee Retirement System, which is underfunded by $26.7 billion.

The pension system now devours 36 percent of school payroll costs. Teachers may fear not having a traditional pension, but the reality is that if left unaddressed the current trajectory will contribute to other negative impacts, such as less money for pay raises and other cuts to the classroom.

The state, at Gov. Rick Snyder’s request, has already stepped up what it’s paying into the MPSERS system, but even those additional funds haven’t much dented the unfunded liability.

And while there will be a new crop of representatives in January, enough of them are familiar with the pension shortfalls. Many senators are, too. Senate Education Chair Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township, is one of them, and he could be a useful resource for less familiar colleagues.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has also taken the lead on teacher pensions, and has offered detailed reports and research to help lawmakers.

Part of the solution is fairly straightforward: move new teachers into a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan. This is what the state did for state employees in 1997, and that change has saved money. And the transition went smoothly, which should appease fears of how things would go for the school pensions.

Lawmakers have tried to tackle the teacher pension issue at several points in the last five years. The biggest push was in 2012, but the Legislature failed to pass meaningful reform. It fell way short of moving all new teachers into a defined-contribution plan, instead simply offering that as an option in addition to the traditional pension. Most new hires continue to opt for the pension. A 2010 reform created a hybrid plan that includes a defined-contribution element, but it’s still largely a pension.

House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mount Pleasant, who is term limited, acknowledged that lame duck didn’t offer enough time to tackle the issue of retiree benefits, but he said lawmakers at least helped “shine a light” on the unfunded liabilities. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, agreed.

“We have an unsustainable product in front of us,” Meekhof has said.

That is also the conclusion of other leaders in the state. A report prepared by former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker and presented to the West Michigan Policy Forum in September estimated the state has $51.4 billion of unfunded retirement liabilities; it ranked Michigan in the country’s bottom 10 states for its “relative financial positions.”

At the event, Amway President Doug DeVos said attendees ranked restructuring government employees’ pension plans as the No. 1 policy priority in Michigan.

Lawmakers aren’t out to strip current teachers of their pensions, although it may be that they’ll have to contribute more to fund their own retirements. Rather, there’s a recognition that without addressing the pension shortfall now, retirement security will be at risk for all employees.

For their own self-interest, teachers should join the effort to find a reasonable answer.

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Lansing State Journal. December 13, 2016

Demand transparency, FOIA now.

Government should be transparent. Recent examples of bad government - like the lack of accountability at every level in Flint’s water crisis - show how great a need this can be, as well as how pieces of the truth sometimes only come out after public records are obtained using the Freedom of Information Act.

So why then is Michigan one of only two states that offer the Governor’s office and Legislature blanket exemptions from FOIA?

House Bills 5469-5478 - which include the Legislative Open Records Act and an update to the existing FOIA law - sought to bring Michigan in line. After the House passed them in September, the bills were sent to the Senate, where nothing has happened since. What is the hold up?

Michigan Senators, pass the bills. And Gov. Snyder, sign them swiftly. Do this to demonstrate to the people that you believe in transparency - at every level of government.

Effectively, these bills bring the offices and staff of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Michigan Legislature under existing FOIA laws while allowing for exemptions to protect constituent communications and candidates who were not chosen for appointments (among others).

The new act, once signed, would take effect Jan. 1 and immediately begin to help foster greater transparency and trust between government and the people of Michigan. This is sorely needed.

Transparency in government, much like oversight in business, helps to both actively combat and prevent corruption.

The bills are not perfect. There are questions about the appeal process for information requests that are denied. However, placing these offices under FOIA in any capacity is a major step for the state and one worthy of signing.

It comes down to this: people should demand transparency in government as much as government requires trust of the people. Blind trust can foster corruption, so a balance must be struck.

FOIA fosters this balance for most public bodies, and will continue to do so. The highest offices in Michigan’s state government should be included in this, and will be with the signing of House Bills 5469-5478.

Michigan, like so many parts of the U.S., needs greater trust in government now. Having everyone equally under FOIA would be a victory for us all.

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Times Herald (Port Huron). December 15, 2016

Zero tolerance OK for pests, not for kids.

There is a place for zero tolerance, but it is not public schools.

For a good application of the zero tolerance approach, look to Customs and Border Control at the Blue Water Bridge. In November, agriculture specialists inspecting mung beans exported from India discovered what they thought were remnants - mere fragments - of khapra beetles in the shipment. Scientists confirmed the presence of the beetles Dec. 1 and the shipment was turned away.

Khapra beetles are one of the world’s scourges. They will eat anything but are particularly feared for their ability to destroy or damage dried grain and stored seeds. They are otherworldly tough, able to thrive in hot, dry environments and to survive many insecticides.

Any tolerance for khapra beetles would cost Michigan farmers and food producers millions of dollars and drive up prices for every consumer. Lawmakers in Lansing and in Washington who politic on the evils of red tape and regulation need to keep the khapra beetle in mind before their lower any fences.

This is the fourth shipment inspectors have stopped at the Blue Water Bridge. Those specialists deserve our gratitude.

But zero tolerance is not appropriate in many other situations - including our schools.

Michigan lawmakers passed a bill Thursday undoing most of the state’s zero tolerance policies for school discipline. The governor is expected to sign the legislation.

The law, which would take effect next fall, would require schools to consider a pupil’s age, disciplinary history, the severity of the misconduct and the threat to another student or staff member’s safety. Additional considerations include whether the student is disabled, whether a lesser punishment could suffice and the wishes of the victim.

Existing policies lead to suspension or expulsion for a range of offenses with no consideration of extenuating circumstances and no thought to whether throwing a child out of school is really the best way to educate him or her. It goes without saying that it is not.

Critics and statistics suggest that zero tolerance policies are particularly unfair to low-income, minority and underprivileged students, the ones who need compassion and second chances the most.

Lawmakers deserve gratitude to returning justice to our schools.

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Petoskey News-Review. December 16, 2016

Community foundations worth a look if you’re giving.

While the calendar says the year is coming to a close, a pair of local organizations are just getting started commemorating their quarter-century-long run helping residents of northwest Michigan.

The Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and the Charlevoix County Community Foundation each formed in the early 1990s and have since become philanthropic mainstays, awarding grants to various projects and efforts around the region.

As their fund sizes grow and their functions continually expand, leaders of these organizations are using the milestone 25-year mark as a jumping off point to re-focus their efforts. In some instances, that may mean introducing themselves to residents or organizations that are just becoming aware of their existence, while to others it could be highlighting other functions they serve or giving opportunities they offer.

Whatever it may be, the community foundations are major helpers in Emmet and Charlevoix counties and if you’re considering an end-of-year donation to a local charitable organization, they are worthy of consideration.

Leaders of the two community foundations point out that no donation is too small. Often times, people think charitable giving is only for the rich, but smaller gifts add up fast and offer you a way to give back whatever you can afford to your community.

Community foundations support hyper-local projects and people. If you write a check to one of their discretionary funds, you can rest assured that money will be spent to improve something in your area. Locally, these two community foundations distribute more than $1.5 million each in grants and scholarships alone throughout the year.

There are two grant cycles every year, during which area nonprofits submit applications for money to help fund their efforts. Dozens of grants are awarded during each cycle.

While there are numerous other funds and functions within the community foundations, one that is particularly worth noting is the organizations’ involvement with young people in the region.

Each has what are referred to as youth advisory committees, which are made up of adult advisors and high school-aged members from around each foundation’s coverage area. The groups meet several times throughout the school year and are allocated a certain amount of money each year to distribute among grant applicants as they see fit.

These groups are a springboard for many young students to become more involved in the community, giving them real-life experience while also executing the mission of the community foundations.

There’s plenty more to learn about these community foundations. If you’re interested, visit their websites - www.c3f.org for the Charlevoix County Community Foundation or www.phsacf.org for the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation.

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