Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes, a graduate of the University of Michigan, has lived and worked in Washtenaw County for over 34 years. A well-known attorney who practiced in Ypsilanti, Saline and Ann Arbor for more than 25 years, Byrnes is serving her third term in the Michigan House of Representatives. Her colleagues unanimously elected her to the position of Speaker Pro Tempore of the House this year, giving her the responsibility of running each session of the 110-member body from the rostrum.
Before joining the House in 2004, Byrnes served on the Washtenaw County Road Commission in 2000, becoming the first female road commissioner in Washtenaw County. As an outgrowth of her long-standing involvement in the Washtenaw County Democratic Party, Byrnes founded the Western Washtenaw Democratic Club and served as its first Chair. She is an active member of several local Chambers of Commerce, and was a board member with the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce where she was active with that chamber’s Women’s Council.
Representative Byrnes has regular coffee hours for constituents (her next two events are mentioned below). Alas, even though A2Politico doesn’t drink coffee, I still managed to catch up with Representative Byrnes in between budget negotiations.
Question 1. Representative Byrnes, you support the Detroit Aerotropolis project. In 2008, you introduced the legislation for the Aerotropolis tax breaks. Industrial Property Tax Abatement (P.A. 198 of 1974): Provides a 50% property tax abatement on real and personal property for industrial activity for up to 12 years. “High-technology activity” also qualifies for the abatement. Qualified companies may also apply for exemption from the State Education Tax (SET). Abatements are approved by the local government and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).” Those property taxes fund education. How do you reconcile supporting development with funds diverted from education, particularly in the Willow Run School District?
PB: The legislation that you refer to was part of a larger package of bills introduced last session that did not pass because of concerns raised about how these credits would be applied. New legislation with a similar objective was drafted this session and I, again, am a sponsor because I believe it will benefit the eastern part of our county. The new legislation, known as Next Michigan Development Act, would allow for the creation of up to 10 zones across the state. These zones would be centered around multi-model (air, roads, rail or water) and other unique assets, with tax incentives that continue from 5 to 10 years with a potential for renewal, for a total of no more than 15 years. Under this legislation, school taxes could still be captured by the Local Development Financing Authority (LDFA) by up to 50%. While this would have a short-term impact on education funding, it is important to look at these projects as one part of a much bigger picture. These incentives are being offered to attract businesses which are able to locate literally anywhere across the globe. Without the tax abatements, the development and increased property value associated with them, would not exist and the schools would see no benefit. In essence, the schools would be getting part of something, which is better than getting all of nothing.
Question 2. You’ve not come out and announced that you’re in the running for Senator Liz Brater’s seat, but my guess is that you’ll toss your hat into the ring. Assuming you do, could we expect you to keep your focus on transportation (the first issue listed on your web site), and certainly connected to the Aerotropolis project? I suppose my real question is what we could we expect you to focus on in the Senate, and how would the political focus of Senator Pam Byrnes be different than that of Representative Pam Byrnes?
PB: I have not formally announced my candidacy for the 18th District State Senate seat, currently held by Sen. Brater. I have been working literally day and night with my colleagues to find a resolution to the financial crisis that our state is in. If I were to become the next state senator for the 18th District, I would not expect me to change who I am. I would say that Senator Byrnes’ priorities wouldn’t be much different that Representative Byrnes’ priorities. My priorities would continue to be creating good paying jobs for the residents of Michigan, investing in education, early childhood through college, improving our transportation infrastructure, supporting our growing agricultural base and helping to harness the global market to Michigan. In addition to establishing both a commuter and high speed rail system, I will continue to advocate for those facets of a vibrant community that improve our quality of life, like protecting our natural resources and promoting the arts. I firmly believe that investing in these areas is key to our state’s economic recovery and future success.
Question 3. Education is one of the main issues listed on your web site, and you certainly have been supported financially by the Michigan Education Association. However, the industry from which a largest chunk of your political funding in past has come has been from lobbyists and lawyers. This, coupled with your number one issue, transportation, (a favorite of lawyers and lobbyists), coupled with the Aerotropolis support (lobbyist and lawyer fav, again), gives me the impression, as a voter, that your political focus is really more on business than education. Comments?
PB: This is really a chicken and egg argument. You can’t have one without the other. We need a highly-educated work force if we want to see Michigan’s economy thrive once again. Businesses will not locate in an area that lacks the needed talent and skills. Conversely, creating and maintaining an environment that allows new, emerging industries to flourish and succeed will serve as the needed tax base that will enable us to properly fund our education system.
Question 4. One of your opponents last time around favored a searchable web site that would have listed every state expenditure, including employee salaries. You pointed out his support of the idea in a press release posted to your web site. You neither attacked nor supported the idea. Well, tell us now. Would you support such a movement toward total fiscal transparency, particularly given the state of the State’s finances? If not, why not?
PB: Of course I believe that our government should be transparent and accountable to the people it represents. The public has access to state budgets on the House Fiscal Agency website http://www.house.mi.gov/... I have supported the concept of a user friendly portal for interested people to access. The key factor here is the cost and operation of such a website. Such a website has been estimated to cost in excess of $100 million (see attached memo from Michigan Department of Information Technology). I am not sure that our State is in a financial position to make such an expensive investment at this time, especially when this information is already publicly available.
Question 5. You say that you want to “ensure that every resident who wants to go to college or trade school has the chance to do so.” Does this mean you support Representative Rebekah Warren and Representative Alma Wheeler Smith’s MIFuture initiaitve? It would be funded by a tax increase, and you’ve taken a lot of political heat from opponents about your support of tax increases in past. Or do you have a different plan to ensure every resident who wants to go to college has an opportunity to do so? How about tapping the endowments of every college in Michigan for a 1 percent education fee? That could generate, literally, millions for education (and millions of screams from college presidents, of course).
PB: The MIFuture initiative is certainly an interesting approach to financing higher education for Michigan residents. I believe that it is one of several proposals that deserves serious study and consideration by the Legislature. And you’re right, taxing university endowments would come with much protest from both the universities and their donors. Since our public universities have constitutionally-protected autonomy, such a tax would probably be challenged in the courts.
Question 6. In the Governor’s race there has been a lot of buzz (and lots of buzzwords) about the usual issues: education, environment, transportation, transparency, fiscal responsibility, etc….There are campaigns that focus on UPMichigan, FIX Michigan, Change Michigan. Time magazine recently attributed many of Michigan’s woes to what the magazine’s editors referred to as U.S. Representative John Dingell’s “pandering” to his constituents, the auto companies and their employees. The implication was that Michigan can’t be fixed until such political pandering is stopped, and state public policy is driven by vision rather than campaign donations and influence. Could you comment on the assessment made by the editors of Time?
PB: I must disagree with Time’s assessment. While its editors may disagree with Congressman Dingell’s voting record, I think it is disingenuous to label his polices as “pandering.” John Dingell has been a tireless public servant who has acted in what he has felt has been the best interests of his constituents. I believe Congressman Dingell bases his votes on what he believes is right, and not what is politically popular.
Question 7. When and where are the next two Representative Pam Byrnes meet-ups, events, etc…?
PB: I just had a coffee hour in Whitmore Lake at the Northfield Twp Library. My next two coffees will be on November 2 at 9:30 AM at the Chelsea Senior Center, 512 East Washington Street, Chelsea and on November 23 at the Dexter Senior Center, 7720 Ann Arbor Street, Dexter. Being accessible and staying in touch with the people in my district is my top priority. These events are open to the public and events are just one of the great opportunities for me to hear directly from the residents of Washtenaw County. The feedback I have received at my coffee hours has served as a great way for me to know where my constituents stand on the issues of the day, and provide an opportunity for them to ask for my assistance if they are having an individual issue with any one of our state departments.