November 2011: What Happened Outstate?

We in Kalamazoo pride ourselves on being one of only two Blue counties on the west side of the state. But as informed voters, we should be aware of important votes and trends in the rest of the state, especially as we move into the critical 2012 election. Are voters tending to reflect how independents as well as progressives think? Is there any indication that other areas of the state may be trending Blue?

Michigan Public Radio commentator Jack Lessenberry summed up the election this way: "People are willing to pay more taxes, if they understand what the taxes are for and want the services they will provide."

• In Lansing, voters had rejected a millage increase in their previous trip to the polls, but in November, they approved a millage restoring some of the cuts to roads and public safety.
  
  
• Bloomfield Hills and Dearborn voted for a library millage, with Dearborn also approving a higher tax to provide money for "core services."
  
  
• Eastpointe and Roseville each approved a recreation millage.
  
  
• Warren voted for roads and Farmington Hills approved a public safety millage.
  
  
• Two cities in which tax increases lost at the polls were Mount Clemons, where the voters said no to a new five-mill "general purpose" property tax, which was not well defined, and the small school district of Bryon voted against a large 30-year millage increase.
  
  
• Taxes aside, the big news was that by a narrow margin, Rep. Paul Scott (R-Grand Blanc) was voted out of office by recall. This left the House Education Committee without its chair. Speaker Bolger quickly named Tom McMillan as interim chair – a representative with extreme anti-gay views and a determination to privatize public schools. Stayed tuned for a February 28 special election at which time a replacement for Scott will be elected. (The Republican presidential primary happens to be the other highlight of the day.)

This article appears in the January 2012 newsletter.