Tonya's Plan

Tonya has a straightforward plan to bring Michigan back:

• Draw jobs back to Michigan and our community
• Reduce government spending
• Be smarter with our tax dollars

Draw jobs back to Michigan

At the root of all our economic challenges is Michigan's jobs crisis.  We need to attract good jobs back to Michigan.  To do it, Tonya will:

• Work to end the surcharge on the Michigan Business Tax on job providers.  It's a jobs-killer. Tonya voted against creating the MBT surcharge and she is on record supporting its elimination.
• Support our growing industries, like agriculture, tourism and energy.
• Reform government regulations and hold state government accountable for the way it hamstrings job providers.
• Create opportunities for public private partnerships.

Reduce government spending

Spending is out of control in Lansing. Tens of millions for a police headquarters we don't need.  Millions more for pay raises for state employees.  Tonya voted against both and she will also:

• Vote to eliminate lifetime health care benefits for state lawmakers.  Tonya doesn't accept state health insurance now; she pays her own way.
• Advocate for welfare reform and a common sense 4-year limit on benefits that will save millions.
• Push to privatize functions like food service in our state prisons and limit expensive overtime.
• Say no to more tax increases.  In 2007, the Governor signed the largest tax increase in state history.  Tonya voted "no" and she was right to do so.  Michigan is no better off as a result of raising taxes.  In fact, our economy is struggling more.

Be smart with our tax dollars

For families, wasteful spending and bad decisions have consequences; in Lansing, wasteful spending and bad decisions are common.  We need to be smart with taxpayer dollars and Tonya will:

• Vote to set a July 1 deadline for adopting a state budget plan.  No more government shutdowns.  No more unfair uncertainty for local schools and universities.  No more excuses.
• Save money by implementing recommendations from state audits that routinely identify waste and mismanagement - $9 million in a recent state prisons audit and more than $160 million in the state's welfare agency.
• Direct all money saved through reforms and reductions to the state's Rainy Day Fund (or savings account) to be directed toward priorities like schools, law enforcement and our communities.

1 House Roll Call 541 of 2007
2 Michigan Information and Research Service, June 14, 2010.
3 House Roll Call 482 of 2009
4 Kalamazoo County Advocates for Senior Issues, Candidate forum, May 18, 2010.
5 Detroit Free Press Op Ed, Nov. 24, 2009