Capitol Update

I am the state representative for the 18th District. As a result of redistricting, the 18th District comprises the cities of Eastpointe and St. Clair Shores and part of Grosse Pointe Shores. If you are unsure of the district in which you live, please visit http://house.mi.gov, where you can find the name of your representative. If you do not wish to receive this e-newsletter, please click on the unsubscribe links located at the top and bottom of this message.

Dear friends,

For the past several months I have spent a majority of my time in Lansing working on the state budget and bringing groups together to discuss a plan to better protect our Great Lakes. I have concerns that many of the decisions being made on where to allocate our state’s scarce resources are not funding the right priorities. I will keep you updated as budgets move through the House of Representatives and as we develop legislation to protect the Great Lakes.

Budget Priorities

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee voted on the 2013-2014 budget proposed by House Republicans. As a member of the committee, I worked to reverse last year’s tax hikes on working families and seniors. I also fought to restore cuts to Great Lakes programs. Some of my colleagues and I proposed amendments to restore tax fairness, increase funding for education and protect our Great Lakes. Some of the changes we proposed include:

• Bring $781.8 million in middle-class tax relief by repealing the pension tax, restoring the $600 per-child deduction, restoring the Homestead Property Tax Credit and phasing back in the Earned Income Tax Credit;

• Bringing back $537 million to Michigan classrooms, including $65 million for early childhood education;

A Few Thoughts on the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Proposed Budget Cuts to the Great Lakes

The proposed Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) budget includes a cut of $500,000 from the Office of the Great Lakes. This office leads policy development, implements programs to protect, restore and sustain the Great Lakes, as well as facilitates the state’s responsibilities with the Great Lakes Compact. In addition, the Appropriations Committee cut $200,000 from the Surface Water Quality Program, which enforces the issuance of permits, compliance of activities concerning water quality and the testing of surface water after sewage overflows. This reduction also jeopardizes up to $500,000 in federal matching grant dollars. This could mean less testing to determine whether our beaches are safe after sewage overflows.

I am concerned that cutting funding from programs to protect our Great Lakes, our water quality, and our environment is extremely shortsighted.

Education Achievement Authority (EAA) and the School Reform Task Force

A few weeks ago the House of Representatives passed an Education Achievement Authority (EAA) bill or House Bill 4369, which expands the authority of the current EAA. This plan consolidates schools that fail to meet academic standards on statewide tests into a state-controlled school district. The EAA is in an interlocal agreement that currently controls 15 Detroit schools. The legislation that passed the House expands the EAA and potentially impacts many more schools that could be moved into the authority.

Instead of increasing funding and resources available to support schools that are under-achieving, the EAA legislation undermines the very people trying to help students succeed. Last year, schools saw an almost billion-dollar decrease in education funding and this has led to teachers having fewer resources and more children per classroom. These challenges don’t help schools achieve, they hinder it. We need to address underachieving schools, but expanding the EAA is not the way to do it. I voted no on this bill.

I have been appointed by the House Minority Leader to serve on a School Reform Task Force. We will be looking at turnaround models from across the country and creative solutions to many of the problems facing our public schools. There is no question that students should not be underachieving and schools should not be failing. Because House Democrats do not support the House Republicans’ school takeover legislation, the task force will look at the reasons schools are falling behind and designing an alternative reform model.

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Awareness Month Resolution

A constituent reached out and asked me to propose a resolution to make March Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Awareness Month. Multiple System Atrophy is a debilitating disease that affects five of every 100,000 people. Because MSA is a neurodegenerative disease, it causes symptoms similar to ALS or Parkinson’s disease. Patients with MSA generally experience loss of movement, balance, motor skills and automatic functions of the body. I am so glad this resolution passed and was officially adopted. I hope more people become aware of MSA so that we can one day find a cure.

Coffee with Sarah

I am excited to announce my coffee hours, which will be held the first Saturday and the third Monday of every month starting in April. The coffee hours will be held on:

Saturday, May 4, from 9-10 a.m. at Cafe Luna, 23415 Greater Mack Ave. in St. Clair Shores

Monday, May 20, from 8-9 a.m. at the Coffee Break, 19156 E. 10 Mile Road in Eastpointe

These coffee hours will be a chance for an informal conversation about improving state government and to give me the opportunity to listen to your concerns. Future coffee events will be announced in coming e-newsletters. Hope to see you there!

Useful Links

State Senate - http://www.senate.michigan.gov/

State House of Representatives - http://www.house.mi.gov/

State Representative Sarah Roberts -www.roberts.housedems.com

18th House District Map - http://018.housedems.com/district-map

Michigan Legislature - http://www.legislature.mi.gov/

City of St. Clair Shores - http://www.stclairshores.net/

City of Eastpointe - http://www.cityofeastpointe.net/

Village of Grosse Pointe Shores- http://www.gpshoresmi.gov/

Please feel free to contact me anytime.

Sincerely,

State Representative Sarah Roberts
18^th House District