GOP- i
reac ing out
Lo ch
CopiltU News SeIVia
LANsING-Getting out of
the Capitol and listening to what
concerns residents across the
tate make good politics and
good governme t, said House
Republican Leader Paul Hil­
legonds, R-Holland
With seven forces, the
House Republican Policy Com­
mittee will observe, compile
reports, offer options, or reeom­
mend legislation to improve
community life for Michigan
residents.
81f we compile positive,
proactiw reports a minority
rather than negative, re dive
responses to the Democrats, 8
HiIIegonds . d, "we can make a
difference iD the lives of
Michigan resideD ."
The t forces are the result
of a brainstormiDg effort &om
the GOP caucu held in
January.
STATEWIDE HEARINGS
Each task force ill hold
public hearinp .throughout the
tate to receive community
feedb ck. Last session, more
than half of the reoommenda­
lions offered by the t forces
resulted &om such hearings.
"These task forces are
de igned for the people of
Michigan so it only makes sense
to listen to they have to
say," s id Rep. Frank
F'ltlgerald, vice chairman of the
House RepublicaD Policy Com­
mittee. "Once they teU us t
they we have the ability to
put in a biD request and take
some action."
The T Force on Educa-
tional Optio that Work· ex­
pected to produce the mo t
po itive results, according to
committee membe .
Th· task force will locate
and study unique approaches to
education that will offer sue­
cessfullcarning and individual
growth. , School disbjcts both in
and out of the state will be
tudied.
"We as Republicans do not
feel tbal Michigan as 0 e has
successful educational system
in regards to preparing tudents
for the changing eoonomy of the
tate," Hillegonds said: "Educa­
tion· t the top of ur piority
. and expect great thinp to
come 0 of this partia1lar task
force.
The T k Force for Taxpayer
Rigb . designed to develop a
"T yer Bill of Rights" that
would force administratiYe or
legislative change in areas
ere taxpaying. citizens feel
they are being treated unfairly. _
PUSH ACCOUNTABILITY
The T Force on Accoun-
tability in State Government � a
result of tight. budg� over the
l
"
me
past years. The members hope
to ensure that the departments
of state government are held
more accountable and accept
more fiscal responsibility.
Hillegonds said that the
Committee has great concern ROD·
for children at risk and ways to Conupondent
make them become productive, �6 LANS..;..;·;..;;.r;;..;;......;...;;;IN�G�---Iri-Iite-ra-tur-e
contributing members of sent to her constituents, State
socie_,t T Force of Oilldren Rep. Ethel Terrell (D.-High­
at Risk recognizes that these land Pk) stated k has been
children are already two steps �thDe oe new )egmaeotion �l!"g
behind, 8 Hillegonds said "We WI U.S: Supr�� urt act!OD
,. . b _L db that overturning Miclllgan Set AsIde
can t Just 51t a ..... an ope. . laws and that she has introduCed
t��y end up as product�ve a resolution calliag for a special
atiZe�.we must do something committee to study general civil
about it: .. ... rights trends in Michigan
MoDitonng � $660 million Terrell chairs the Civil
bond.proposal will be the key 'Rights Committee in the
func:tJon of the T Force on Michigan House of Represen­
Environmental Cleanup. Bar- tatNes,.
riers to private sector cleanup In her own organ, the TemU
will also be .re� and then Joumal, she wa quoted as
reoomcndaoons will be made. saying that "ongoing and recent
�e Task Porce on Drunk developments" are creating
Drmng. headed by rrt7gerald,· "serious concerns over trends in
willS!D�ybl�alcoholcoDteDt, civil rights in Michigan and
adlD1D1Stra�lve and stat�tory around the nation. ..
oper .tor hce.nse sanctl�ns, Among these developments,
�nal�, � liquor � VIOla- she listed:
boDS pert.aiDJng to vehicles. _ Serious weakening and
"In 1987, 64,�. people we.re stagnation of affirmative action
arrested for drinking and driv- . ·tia�
� an� almost 700 �ple were IDl _ Allegations of raci m in
killed, Fitzger�d said "We state colleges and universities.
feel that something needs to be �---�---_
done and so we are taking the in­
itiative and will, hopefully, come
up with workab e change$ and
solutio ."
. The drunk driving � force
expects to oomplete its work in
June, almost three months
before the others.
A 0 DABLE
HEALTHCARE
The last task force i on Af­
fordable Health Care for the
Uninsured. The members plan
to study the feasibility of state
govenunent offering benefits to
uninsured citizeas.
"DuriDg the t two yeaR,
our task forces visited every
comer of the state listening to
what the people of Mic:hipD
had to say," HiIlegODds said.
"Tbeywant a responsive gOYem­
ment that offers proteCtions and
provide solution ithout
aeating ne burdens."
-nat is what are trying to
coomplish through these taU
forc:a."
maker
on
civil
\ '
right
setback
. - The fact that hate groups
"are becoming m e visible in
our society today.·
Terrell stated
what is being
today" is partly
tions taken by
administration in
She stated that pointments
made to the U.S. Civil Righ
Commission and the federal
bench has "im d painstak­
ing progress made the area of
civil rights."
However, she a ded, "We've
come too far to go ck to what
was..
She added th
James Blanchard i his State of
the State Address pointed out
the importance 0 examining
Michigan civil rights laws and
programs.
One of the serious setbacks
to civil rights that she mentioned
was the u.s. Supreme Court'
overturning of Michigan law, re­
quiring the state to set aside at
least 15% of government pur­
chasing and construction con-
tracts for businesses owned by
News Briefs
----- m I
rter ltv
Black WOIDCll- 13.5 years
White Men - 72.0 years
Black Men - 65.2 years
-119
Blac Alabama
mayor loosed
bid
MON'f,GOMER Y,
ALA - Tuskegee,
Alabama Mayor Jolumy
Ford week 1 a bid
to become the first Black .
coagre sman from hi
state in OYer' 100 years.
HoweYel', the t
exPected because he
ruDJliDg in • district which
. 7S'IIwbite.
minorities and women .
She stated work has already
begun on new legislation to
develop alternate programs.
"The u.S. Supreme Court
ruling is blow to equal rights
efforts." she stated "But I look
forward to meeting with the
Legislative Black ,Caucus, the
Civil Rights Commission and
the governor, so we can quickly
implement a program that will
ensure aU business people, in­
cluding women, African
Americans and Hispanics can
compete effectively in the
market place."
Terrell st ted - she is
reintroducing bills she spon­
sored last session providing for
equal protection in domestic
disputes allowing conjugal
visits for prisoners and their
spuses, establishing and 'creat­
ing shelter for the homeless
fund, creating a domestic rela­
tions court system in Michigan,
allowing voluntary prayers in
school, allowing patent
medicines to be included under
medical coverage,