LANSING (WKZO) — Governor Rick Snyder wants to create a “river of opportunity” to help all Michigan residents enjoy the gifts of an improving economy.
In the coming weeks he will issue an executive order combining the Michigan Department of Community Health with Human Services, to give the poor and underemployed a path to “enter society’s mainstream”.
He also called for passage of a sales tax hike in May to fix the roads and boost funding for cities and schools.
On education, he called on the legislature to fund an outside commission to work on boosting reading in early elementary grades and improving pre-school opportunities to improve student outcomes.
He repeated that he wants to increase the emphasis on technical and skilled trades training, a priority he has been promoting since his reelection campaign to realign education with the economy and the demands of the modern workforce.
He also renewed his request for the approval of a teacher and school administrator evaluation process, one of the goals he set forward during his last State of the State that did not get accomplished.
Governor Snyder also urged continued debate over amending the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It would have to be a renewed effort because the lawmakers behind last year’s bills were term limited.
He also announced plans for a special effort to eradicate the abuse of drugs both legal and illegal in the state of Michigan. He says it’s a problem for 650-thousand state residents. He says he would have a special message on that problem, but not until fall.
The Governor hit the high points on his initiatives. More detail will come on many of the proposals when he releases his budget proposal next month.