House Dems focus on education, health care

LANSING - The new Democratic majority in the Michigan House of Representatives pledged a commitment to educational opportunity, affordable and accessible health care and environmental protection in a 2007 agenda announced Monday at the Capitol.

But members of the 58-member caucus, the first Democratic majority in the House since 1998, offered scant details on how they'd achieve the goals or who would pay for them.

House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, said the new Democrats "came here to make change."

He said priorities will include creation of a statewide catastrophic health care pool, investment in student loan programs and stopping the transportation of out-of-state waste to Michigan landfills.

A few proposals - like a steep hike in landfill fees - had Democratic backing in the past, but failed to win majorities in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Many of the key issues will have to be studied before bills are introduced, Dillon said.

The agenda does not address the two biggest issues facing Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the Legislature: a looming budget deficit and whether to raise taxes to address it. Dillon said the lawmakers will defer to Granholm, also a Democrat, who is slated to outline her ideas early next month.