Politics & Government

Barnett Hosts Lively Coffee Conversation

The District 37 state representative talks budget, item pricing and jobs at Panera on Saturday.

A lively crowd showed up Saturday for State Rep. Vicki Barnett's (D-Farmington Hills) first coffee hour of the 2011-2012 legislative session, held at in Farmington.

About 20 attendees traded comments and questions in response to Barnett's recap of the first few weeks under Michigan's new governor, Rick Snyder, and a Republican-dominated House and Senate. Courtney and Cameron Chism, both 17 and juniors at , stopped into Panera with their mother and happened upon the gathering, but stayed to listen.

Cameron said her English class talked about a lot of what Barnett covered. Courtney was particularly interested in hearing about the education system and schools. Both had another reason for paying closer attention to their state representative.

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"We got accepted into Girls State," Courtney said. The annual program is hosted by the state's American Legion and Auxiliary for both girls and boys. "They pick representatives from each high school, and we form a community and go through different government activities."

Jennifer Kaminski, a Farmington resident who works for , also a first-timer, was especially concerned about the state budget and Gov. Snyder's possible move to lump together preschool through college education funding.

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"I wanted to come and see whether she had information about that," she said.

Farmington resident Kevin Giannini said he tries to get out as often as he can to Barnett's coffee hours and similar events in surrounding communities.

"I'm a precinct delegate, so I try to help out with lawmakers and representatives where I happen to agree with them," he said. "Others, I turn up just ot be a thorn in the side. I still believe you have to show up just to let them know you're out there."

Michigan Business Tax bills

Barnett covered a wide range of topics, starting with the state budget. She said she would not speculate on the governor's budget, due to be released Feb. 17, but noted the first two bills in the House and Senate would have a tremendous effect on it.

Senate Bill 1 would eliminate the Michigan Business Tax (MBT)  altogether; House Bill 1 would eliminate the MBT surcharge. While Barnett said she was open to modifying the MBT, those bills would leave gaps in the state budget of $2 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively.

For years, Michigan's poor economy has had state lawmakers scrambling to balance the budget each year, as required by law.

"Our retirees are living way too long, and you guys aren't buying anything," Barnett said. "If I could fix those two things, I could fix the budget deficit."

Barnett responded to constituent questions about a court-ordered ban of hunting and snowmobiling in the primitive areas of Huron and Manistee National Forests and a Michigan law that created "pistol-free zones" in bars, sports arenas, day care facilities and other places. She also discussed a proposed elimination of state-mandated item pricing.

Item pricing and consumer protection

Barnett said the law, passed in 1976, was designed to ensure customers were being charged the same price at the register as was listed on the shelf.

"Once scanners came into use, people were being over-charged at the check-out line," she explained. "It was a consumer protection law."

Repealing the law would save the Michigan grocery industry more than $2 billion a year, according to a study by the Anderson Economic Group. However, Barnett said, the bill – the first to be passed out of committee this year – would not create jobs, and would likely put some grocery workers out of work.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't modernize what we do," she said, "but if our first priority is jobs, what are we doing repealing item pricing?"

Barnett is also concerned over proposed electronic grocery store shelf labels, which she fears unscrupulous grocers could use to raise prices slightly when demand is high.

"Imagine if the price of milk fluctuated like the price of gasoline," she said.

What's more, Barnett reviewed both the new bill and the 1976 legislation, and found the new bill would also eliminate state protections against discrimination in housing. While federal laws protect home-buyers against being shut out of certain neighborhoods, federal lawsuits take a much longer time and are more difficult to pursue, she said.

After Barnett finished speaking, some residents spent a little one-on-one time with her, while others talked amongst themselves. During the event, conversation grew a little heated as one of Giannini's comments was called "stupid" by another attendee. Barnett quickly moved to squelch the side discussion and emphasized all voices and ideas were welcome.

Giannini, who described himself as an "indepedent-leaning Republican", said Barnett's coffees usually have a pretty good turnout. He has been to others where just a handful of regulars show up. 

"This is the first one where I've ever been called 'stupid'," he added.


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