The year 2024 will not go down as one of the most productive years for the Legislature. Whether that continues until New Year’s Eve depends on how House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) approaches the last few weeks of session, said House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Township).
If House Democrats work with Republicans, who will take back the gavel in January — on agreeable agenda items — Hall said he sees lame duck as being potentially productive. But . . .
“Gridlock happens if they start popping bills on us. If they do that, we’ll vote no. The good bills I can do next year when I’m the speaker. Why do I have to do it on their timetable?” Hall asked. “Let’s talk. We can have some give and take and lame duck will be productive.”
Earlier this week, legislation bringing back Michigan’s film credits was put on the agenda. The bill crept onto the calendar without the Republicans being consulted. The matter didn’t end up getting voted on.
Whether it’s lame duck or early next year, Hall said conversation starters for him are two items: Roads and tipped credit/paid sick leave.
He wants more of the money that’s currently going into the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund and other economic development initiatives to go to roads. He also wants the tipped credit for restaurant staff restored and some alterations to the paid sick leave policy put in place earlier this year by the state Supreme Court.
Hall’s comments come amid fears in Lansing that Hall and Republicans will try to throw sand in the gears of any legislative progress in the closing weeks of session.
“The Matt Hall vision is to grind everything to a halt, and we could see a government shutdown,” warned Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak), who was up to her eyeballs trying to drag House Democrats over the “let’s-hang-on-to-what-we-got” finish line. That was back on Oct. 4.
More recently, some resident members of the punditry class in town have added to the speculation with quotes such as: “I think it means big gridlock the next two years” and another, “I think Matt Hall excels at gridlock.”
So, earlier this week, when MIRS caught up with the chair of the House Republican Campaign Committee for a post-election Zoom, Rep. Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland) preferred to talk about another subject.
Question one: “We could have a government stalemate?”
Answer one: “You know again what House Republicans are going to work on are the issues that won us the majority,” said Schuette, ignoring the thrust of the question.
Question two: “So your intent is not to shut down the government?”
Answer two: “Our intent is to deliver on the key issues for Michigan,” he stayed on the positive message.
Now Hall, the incoming Speaker, has told some that he thinks there are “bi-partisan issues” he and Governor Gretchen Whitmer can work on, such as road funding, but the word on the street is he and she have lots of work to do on molding a trustworthy and bi-partisan relationship to get there.
For her part, the Governor this week revealed that she has “conversed” with Hall and congratulated him on becoming the new speaker.
But back to Schuette for question three.
“So say to me, ‘We do not want to shut down the government.’”
“I will say that we are going to work on and focus on governing and delivering on the issues facing Michigan.”
The day after the election, both Schuette and Hall issued victory statements and outlined what they wanted to do, but there was no reference to reaching out to the Governor to move that agenda forward.
Regarding that omission during the Zoom call, Schuette said: “I’m sure we can find broad bi-partisan agreement and I look forward to working with my colleagues on either side of the aisle and I look forward to conversations with the Governor’s office as well.
Asked if he and other R’s had a relationship with the Governor, he noted: “I think we have a relationship, and I’m sure we’ll have even more of one going forward” as he stood ready to have the Democrats throw the kitchen sink at the Republicans during the lame duck session.
“What I hope is that Michigan Democrats would look at these election results and realize this is an opportunity not to throw bombs and kitchen sinks, but rather to get down to the issues that are facing Michiganders.”
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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