Traverse City Record-Eagle. April 28, 2024.
Editorial: The point is this: State must honor its contracts
It’s called sleight of hand – and it’s epitomized by the submitted opinion elsewhere on this page about auto no-fault reform. The claim is that these reforms are “saving drivers money.”
That’s the claim. But we have yet to hear anyone confirm that as fact. Rather, we’ve heard from people who say their costs have not gone down. For all the declarations about residents reaping rewards, we don’t see much transparency in that industry.
What we do see is obfuscation. Today’s letter purports to be some sort of a response to our editorial, but nowhere does it actually speak to the point of that editorial.
What we specifically wrote about on March 3 is the fact that the state is continuing to violate the contract it made with Michigan residents who suffered catastrophic injuries.
Before July 1, 2019, Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law allowed people in serious vehicle crashes to receive 100-percent reimbursement for their medical costs. Experts in the industry called it the best system of care in the nation for traffic crash victims. These people had paid into a system that promised them 24/7 care for the rest of their lives.
But, in the spring of 2019, a complex package of reforms passed through the Legislature – in a matter of weeks. It was odd. It was so hastily approved in the middle of the night that some lawmakers didn’t even read the legislation they were voting on. There was no time for consideration, no time for public comment.
So the coverage for catastrophic crash victims and that level of care for them was omitted, driving many of these victims into nursing homes and many of their caregivers out of business.
Then the state Supreme Court ruled on July 31, 2023, in the Andary v. USAA Casualty Insurance Co. case that the changes lawmakers had enacted in 2019 to Michigan’s auto no-fault system did not apply retroactively. The crash survivor had a pre-existing contract for insurance coverage and 24/7 care. And USAA Casualty Insurance Co. was obligated to honor that contract. Other insurance companies are not necessarily obligated to do so.
Lawmakers need to set the record straight on this legislation so that all will do so. That was the editorial’s sole point.
The facts are clear. The human impact has been heartbreaking. Those who have personally witnessed the struggles of some of these families come away with a feeling of shame and outrage. Through their thoughtless haste and ignorance, our state Legislature has done great harm to these helpless citizens. And some of these victims have died because of it.
Our editorial said simply this: The state must honor the commitment that was made and our Legislature needs to act quickly to fix the situation.
We say that again today.
State Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, told reporters earlier this month that these crash victims are in “dire straits.” Damoose has been outspoken in his support for legislation to restore these reimbursement rates and the state Senate has approved a proposal.
Hopes were expressed that the legislation would move swiftly at that point. But it languished in the House until, 10 days ago, Speaker Joe Tate summarily removed it from the House Insurance and Financial Services committee, saying legislators had more pressing concerns to consider.
Now any action to address this problem appears to be in some sort of legislative limbo.
A cynic would focus on the fact that these victims, catastrophically injured and without the therapy and care they had received, are dying — no doubt at a faster rate than they were before.
Insurance companies may not be quick to correct omissions; but they sure are guided by their actuarial tables.
So, when you think about it, delay is a good strategy for them. Hold up any progress in the state Legislature. Appeal every case that goes to court. Meanwhile, these crash victims are dying, some in pretty horrific situations.
But the longer the delay, the fewer victims they have to pay.
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Detroit News. April 24, 2024.
Editorial: Subsidies should come with guardrails
Bipartisanship in Lansing can be hard to come by. But both Democrats and Republicans have well-placed and growing concerns about Michigan’s corporate welfare program and the true return on investment from the generous subsidies the state has handed out since 2021.
As part of an economic growth overhaul, last week House Republican Leader Matt Hall and the GOP caucus unveiled plans to increase oversight of the Strategic Outreach and Reserve (SOAR) Fund — the state’s $2 billion incentive program — through more accountability and performance-based funding metrics.
The legislation is expected to be introduced Thursday.
The proposals offer welcome adjustments to Michigan’s corporate subsidy program, important considering $500 million is being deposited every year into the fund until fiscal year 2027.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she wants to make the funding sustainable and use the program as a driving force for economic growth.
SOAR should be used to stimulate such growth. But it can’t be the only tool the state employs to ignite job creation and a competitive, broad-based business environment.
As part of their reforms, Republicans propose the state should audit payouts from the SOAR fund and reclaim money when the deals don’t deliver on their promises. Unused SOAR grants would be restored to the general fund, not the MEDC.
That is a much-needed provision to ensure companies who want to receive incentives from the state keep their promises.
In 2023, Michigan pledged $335 million in economic development incentives to 83 companies that planned to create 11,408 jobs. That comes out to $29,000, per job, according to a Bridge Michigan analysis.
The median pay of those jobs is just more than $50,000 — so half the promised positions will pay less than that.
That kind of data raises questions about the logic of the program as it is today.
In total, 40% of jobs created by the SOAR Fund pay less than the state’s average wage.
Republicans also recommend the state increase transparency on paused projects and require votes by the entire Legislature, rather than just members of the appropriations committee, on large-scale projects funded by SOAR.
Their proposal would also prioritize funding for small- and medium-sized businesses and streamline permitting between state and local governments to expedite their projects.
The corporate subsidy program has tended to focus on very large companies that promise high-tech or high-wage jobs. But growing businesses of all sizes that are already in Michigan is a worthy cause, too.
Democrats argue the lack of infrastructure and amenities in communities — such as transit, childcare and housing — make Michigan less competitive as a place to live and work.
They have also introduced measures to improve accountability of SOAR, but alongside other proposals that would expand government through new spending that has little to do with actual job attraction.
Still, lawmakers should work across the aisle on issues where they can.
Michigan’s corporate incentive program’s focus should be providing reasonable subsidies that spur economic growth that benefits the host communities. It must be executed with safeguards to ensure taxpayers see a return on these investments.
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Mining Journal. April 22, 2024.
Editorial: Tick season is here; precautions needed to avoid illness
If Superiorland residents didn’t already know it, tick season is in full swing and with it, the danger of contracting one of several nasty bacterial infections that are becoming all too common in the area.
But ticks shouldn’t keep you out of the woods, if that’s something you enjoy doing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the following suggestions to avoid contact with ticks:
Before you go outdoors
≤ Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas, or even on animals. Spending time outside walking your dog, camping, gardening, or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood.
≤ Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
≤ Use Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellentsexternal icon containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone. EPA’s helpful search toolexternal icon can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow product instructions. Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.
Avoiding contact with ticks
≤ Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
≤ Walk in the center of trails.
After you come indoors
≤ Check your clothing for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.
≤ Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks.
≤ Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.
≤ Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks: Under the arms; in and around the ears; inside belly button; back of the knees; in and around the hair; between the legs; and around the waist.
Don’t let ticks ruin your summer outdoors. But be smart about it and use precautions.
END