Gov. Rick Snyder, 2nd State of the State Address, January 18, 2012. (Courtesy: Michigan Assoc. of Broadcasters)
LANSING, Mich. (Detroit Free Press) - Delivering his second State of the State address this evening, Gov. Rick Snyder called for consolidating gains made in 2011 and concentrating on "getting it right and getting it done."
The improvements he cites are punctuated by the announcement earlier today that Michigan's unemployment rate had fallen to its lowest level in more than three years.
Snyder began by summarizing the accomplishments of 2011.
"Working together, we eliminated the Michigan business tax," he declared to applause from lawmakers and others in the Capitol.
He said Michigan made the first deposit in Michigan's rainy-day fund since 2004.
He cited improvements in teacher tenure, and the removal of the cap on charter schools.
There were some low-level boos for lifting the cap on charter schools. All in all the mood was restrained on both sides of the aisle.
On Michigan college readiness, he said, "We need to be 100% college and career ready for our young people."
He announced a new program to fight childhood obesity: Pure Michigan Fit.
• Related: Outline of Snyder's speech and a look at his dashboard summary
Snyder also highlighted the need to complete business left unfinished from 2011, renewing his call to push ahead on construction of a new, government-owned bridge across the Detroit River.
He was not, however, to specify how he intends to accomplish that goal, which stalled late last year in the state Senate. Also on the agenda of unfinished business is the need to create a health care insurance exchange to avoid possible federal government intervention under the new national health care program and accelerate improvements to the states roads, bridges and mass transit systems, Rustem said.
Snyder himself, in a brief video posted on YouTube earlier Wednesday, said his speech will be "a report card ... to give an honest assessment about how Michigan is doing," and "the good news is we're doing well."
Snyder said his first year in office was about bringing good government to Michigan and this year will be the time to implement good government.
"We're making good progress," and "I'm truly excited," Snyder said in the video.
There was no indication that he intended to mention possible state intervention in Detroit, where a review team is studying the city's financial calamity and soon will make a recommendation to Snyder.
Rustem said that Snyder, in contrast to his immediate predecessors, would not outline specific, new policy proposals in the SOS address, but will reiterate his commitment to initiatives announced in last year's speech and a series of special messages.
Among them:
• Asking lawmakers to tackle what he says is a $1.4 billion shortfall in annual road and bridge funding. Rustem said the governor wants the Legislature to begin hearings on alternatives for raising that money, including fuel tax and registration fee hikes. He also will ask for action on his proposal to allow southeast Michigan to create a regional transit authority, with a local option for voter-approved regional registration fees to pay for mass transit.
• Expansion of cyber education opportunities, to allow more high school students to take classes online.
• Legislation to formalize the authority of the Education Achievement Authority headed by ex-Kansas City schools chief John Covington. Rustem said the EAA needs more clearly defined authority to fulfill its mission of turning around failing schools.
• Measures to increase transparency and accountability in government and political campaigns, including a requirement for more frequent disclosure of campaign finance records and a ban on state employees involved in contacting decisions going to work for the companies they dealt with in their state jobs.
By Dawson Bell and Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau