A birthday bash in Michigan’s smallest city

Before I go into detail about my night in Omer, I first want to commend President Obama for his bold move in the State of The Union speech tonight. Mr. Obama, in front of all nine Supreme Court Justices, called them out on their decision to NOT limit the influence corporations and organizations can have on elections financially. I agree completely with the President. I believe all Americans are sick of feeling like those who have the most money buy elections, and I believe that the Supreme Court seriously went against the will of the nation.
But back to my stop in Omer on Jan. 26. Tuesday, I turned 26, and the Omer City Council was kind enough to let me share a few words with them, and the people from Michigan’s smallest city in attendance. As has been the theme of my campaign thus far, I talked about the need to establish a way to fund our public schools that will withstand any recession, present or future. Year after year, a proper funding mechanism continues to be absent, and when it’s time for the state to pass its budget, teachers are laid off, programs are cut and school board members and superintendents are faced with excruciating decisions that ultimately divide our communities. I believe wholeheartedly that until we truly tackle the issue of funding public schools, that recession or no recession, our schools will continue to be in worse condition.
I also addressed the environment, and, more specifically, the Rifle River. It is my belief that the river is a natural wonder that must be preserved and protected. I think the owners and employees at Russell Canoes would agree with me. I think the people who drive from all over Michigan to participate in the Omer Sucker Derby would too. Small businesses like Greg’s Market and Ma’s Girls Café and Catering, no doubt, also appreciate the additional business that the sucker derby brings in April. Protecting this beautiful waterway will always be a priority to me.
Outside of Omer, currently, things aren’t great and it is affecting Omer’s residents, who, on average, are driving about 35 minutes to work per 2008 statistics. Paul Piche, a Corrections Officer who worked at Standish Max before it was closed, said he is now driving about an hour and 15 minutes to work. This is why we need to look at the Michigan Prisoner Release Initiative. When violent offenders and rapists are being let out before serving their minimum sentence, it seems like a Lansing ploy to hurt communities like Standish, Omer, and all of Arenac County, while diverting attention and assistance to other areas throughout the state. There is no question that some inmates may be reformed and could be let out to reduce our inmate population. However, I don’t think murderers and sex offenders should be considered in this group. This is the reason that Mr. Piche is driving so far, and why Arenac County’s unemployment rate went up over two percent in November, the first full month the Standish Maximum Correctional Facility was closed.
Again, finding a way to open its doors once again is important to me.
Also, until we find manufacturing businesses that can locate or relocate in Standish and AuGres’ industrial parks, and lure them here, it will be difficult to give Omer residents the benefit and savings that come with a shorter drive time to work.
In Omer, a small city with a big heart, things are happening even in this terrible economy. The city is working on a new library, paid for in part by a $50,000 grant from the Saginaw-Chippewa Indian Tribe. When I saw Mayor Alice Sproule receive the grant, I remember her being so ecstatic. The Tribe has become an exceptionally important part pf Arenac and Northern Bay counties, and I am dedicated to working with Tribal Council to make sure its operations can expand and continue to help the county as a whole.
During my address, I also touched on my personal appreciation for the history that has been preserved in Omer. Anyone who would like to get a better idea of Arenac County’s history should definitely take a trip through Omer. If elected, my influence on securing grants for the Arenac Historical Society, which has put in so much work to keep the past alive in Omer, would be only a phone call or e-mail away.
Since Jan. 26 was my birthday, though, it only seemed right that I share some of my birthday cake with the people who were kind enough to hear me out, as you can see in the picture above. In the foreground is Mayor Sproule adding her name to my campaign e-mail list.
It really was a good time for me and, I believe, those present. Let’s make sure that Omer, albeit it is tiny, is appreciated throughout Michigan.

Rockin’ and rollin’ in Redding Township

Last night I made my first campaign trip to Clare County when I traveled about 115 miles round trip (about 7 of that was driving in circles, since my GPS led me to the OLD Hall!) out to Redding Township.
Clerk Jim Zarembo added my public address to the agenda, and I was able to talk to the approximately 30 people in attendance about some issues specific to the township — jobs and public school. I told them how I, if elected, look forward to working with county economic development corporations and city downtown development authorities to attract manufacturing jobs to the state. This, we talked about, would help spur two major occupations in Redding Township, construction (and construction trades) and trucking. These are two of the most popular occupations in the township.
Also, while we were talking about manufacturing and the opportunities it could open up, I talked with the township residents about poverty. The household median income in the township is roughly $20,000 under the federal poverty level for households. We discussed opening up the doors of shuttered buildings in industrial parks to provide jobs, which in turn would lead to more work for the truck drivers in the township and more work for the many builders in the township (more people working equals more people building, buying and renovating homes).
But much of the night’s conversations dealt with education. In fact, three friendly women at the meeting stayed afterwards to talk with me about the many problems facing public schools today. We went on and on until a little after 9:30 p.m. We talked about ways to better fund our schools to ensure quality educations, and to also retain after-school programs, extracurricular activities and sports, to allow single parents, which are common in Redding Township, to work longer hours or to get a job if they don’t have one.
Not only funding education was discussed after hours, however. I told a few people who were talking to me that evening about Rep. Joel Sheltrown’s (D – West Branch) proposal to allow parents and students to sign off on a student receiving a form of high school diploma that focuses on vocational work. We agreed that some of the current education requirements are putting the screws to students and ideas were offered to me on what changes I should consider if elected.
School consolidation and inequities in per pupil funding were also discussed. I do believe some schools could feasibly consolidate and the students in them, more than anyone else, would benefit greatly. If elected, I, and I’m sure others would join me, would not be afraid to work with failing schools and the schools surrounding them to assist in the process of consolidation. In Detroit and other large cities, consolidation, I believe could help out many kids who are distracted by their surroundings and seemingly hopeless school environments.
And as current 97th District State Rep. Tim Moore (R – Farwell) has said many times, I believe that all schools should receive the same amount of per pupil allowance and that by making sure that happens, we can stop some of the bleeding at our schools here in the district.
So you’re probably wondering, “Tim, what did you learn about Redding Township?”
Here’s what I know, it’s a township with a board and people that are working to take care of each other and improve one another’s quality of life. The hall is in the process of being approved as an emergency shelter. An activities committee throws Halloween and Christmas parties annually at the hall. And this year will be the second year that the community of Temple, an unincorporated community that was once named Campbell City, after Mary Campbell, throws a fireworks show for its people. Brad Armstrong is looking for $1,500 in donations for the show, so help him out! Also the township has a Web site that allows for transparency, as the minutes of meetings are posted online.
As I left, Supervisor Michael Trzcienski told me I was welcome back any time. I plan on taking him up on that offer. I had fun and most importantly, was able to put faces on the problems that are currently rampant in the district.
Let’s work together to overcome those struggles.

In my backyard...

Thursday night, January 14, 2010 was my first meeting with the Arenac County Democratic Party as a candidate. It was a decent turnout, with about 17 people in attendance, including 96th District State Rep. Jeff Mayes (D – Bay City). Mr. Mayes is also a candidate for Michigan State Senate, and gave a very interesting presentation to my fellow Arenac County folks and me.
Witnessing the problems that have been thrust upon Arenac County while working at the Independent – unfunded mandates from the state, the closing of Standish Max, underfunded school districts, to name a few – is what influenced me to run for State Rep., and I hope to continue to develop a relationship with not only the members of the county's Democratic Party, but residents of the county in general. For so many of them have brought a smile to my face over the past two years, and I have learned so much from so many of them.
During the meeting I briefly introduced myself and talked about some of the issues specific to Arenac County, issues which I look forward to addressing head-on if I am indeed elected as State Representative. I also received plenty of advice from several people with a plethora of experience in Arenac County government. The fine men and women in attendance included Ronald Branda and Mike Snyder, county commissioners; Virginia Zygiel, former commissioner, all-around sweetheart and one of the people who I always enjoyed seeing walk into the newspaper office; JoEllyn Pedota, county party chair, someone who has already helped me a ton; AuGres VFW member William Beier; Register of Deeds, Rose Smith; and 29-year Standish Township Board member Sharon Belchak. Others, including spouses of some of the aforementioned individuals, came out to the meeting as well.
I will definitely take the advice given to me to heart and look forward to using it throughout the year as I continue my campaign. The next stop for me is Redding Township in Clare County, where I will visit Wednesday, January 20.
Also, this weekend, I should have a campaign facebook page finished. I will continually update the facebook page with photos and campaign event reminders. I will be sure to update the blog informing readers of the "unveiling" of the site.

A January night in Bourret Township

Tonight, Jan. 12, 2010, I logged my first miles of the campaign when I took a drive out to the Bourret Township Board meeting.
It was encouraging to see that the board wasn’t simply going through the motions at the front table in an empty hall. During my days at the paper, it was always good to see people coming out to a meeting, whether it was at the county, city or township level.
The board allotted me some time to talk about my goals and vision for the 97th District, and we had a pretty in depth discussion about the ORV ordinance in Gladwin County. Residents in attendance and board members alike voiced concerns about fewer people taking advantage of the ordinance, which allows four-wheelers, dirt bikes and ATV’s to ride on the far right side or shoulder of designated roads. In Bourret, where there is a heavy dosage of state forests, people told me they were disappointed with the lack of maintenance by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Instead, I learned, many trails in Bourret Township were simply blocked off to ORV’s and set aside for walking only.
But, as Tony Marshall, Bourret Township’s Supervisor, discussed with me at the meeting, not all of the township residents are in condition to walk the trails. Elderly men and women in the township who may want to enjoy the great outdoors that are displayed abundantly in Bourret Township, are not privy to scenic rides through the state land. They aren’t able to experience the thrill of the hunt, because instead of the trails receiving maintenance and the forests receiving proper management, the woods are being closed off.
One gentleman even said that some people in the township were under the impression the DNR would create an environmentally clean, safe and clear trail system, such as ones present in Ogemaw County. He said instead of the woods being carefully improved for recreational use, the forests were instead clear-cut.
If the state is serious about public forests being conserved and preserved for environmental and economic reasons, I believe we need to make sure the DNR is focused on the goal of maintenance and forestry management. If elected, I would surely speak up on behalf of these eco, and economic measures.
Mr. Marshall also shared with me that he has noticed fewer and fewer young people around the area, and that many who leave aren’t coming back. He said he’s worried that in the near future, young men and women who come up here for a little R and R or fun in the great outdoors may not be coming back if the area doesn’t have an attraction for them.
I believe the ORV ordinance, and properly maintained forests and closely monitored recreational opportunities in said forests; can attract new people, and more people, to the area.
But enough about the politics of the night. I think I would be leaving out the best part of the meeting if I didn’t mention the “questions” from the crowd, especially those from Gladwin County Road Commissioner Larry Miller. I use quotation marks around the word questions because Larry’s were actually riddles.
This was his best one, I thought:
Q: When you see geese flying in a V, one side is always longer, you know why?
A: Because there’s more geese on that side.
However, I did stump Larry with this classic riddle: A rooster is perched on the peak of a roof and lays an egg. Which side does it roll down?
Answer? Neither, roosters don’t lay eggs.
In closing, I just wanted to also make mention of the Bourret Township seal, seen above and on township stationary. How Cool! I am not sure if I have ever seen a township seal before. Unfortunately, Tony and his wife Kim Marshall, the township clerk, couldn’t remember the man’s name that designed it. If you know, feel free to send an e-mail to me at tbarnum621@yahoo.com and let me know. Creativity and art are important and when someone thinks outside the box, such as making a township seal, I think they deserve a little recognition.
Thursday night I will be meeting with the Arenac County Democratic Party at the Arenac County Courthouse at 7 p.m. Feel free to join me.

Let me introduce myself!

Citizens of Michigan’s 97th District:
My name is Tim Barnum and I am seeking to represent you in Lansing and throughout the region as the State Representative for Michigan’s 97th District, a position currently held by Rep. Tim Moore, who is term-limited out of office.
Last year nearly 90,000 people fled the state of Michigan*. Unemployment swelled to over 15 percent and school aid, revenue sharing and nearly every agency of state government suffered deep cuts and/or layoffs. The private sector didn’t fare much better.
Finally, after years of partisan bickering, negligence and a lack of rationale, reforms are being introduced at the state level to make government more efficient. These include moving to a part-time legislature and reforms to Michigan’s tax structure – reforms I not only support, but would embrace and aggressively work towards establishing if elected as State Representative for Michigan’s 97th District.

Part-time legislature
Since I first heard of a part-time legislature petition called the Kalamazoo Proposal, about the time I started working at the Arenac County Independent in 2007, this has been an item I have felt the state needed to examine more closely.
First off, state representatives in Michigan are paid nearly $80,000 per year. As someone who has never lived in great wealth or made a substantially high salary, I believe it could be reduced to between $40,000 or $50,000 a year and still attract enthusiastic individuals. Also, as someone who has witnesses many times what taxpayers are getting for their money, such as watching the city of Standish deal with the closing of its largest employer, the Standish Maximum Correctional Facility, a state prison, I realized there is definitely no bang for the buck.
Next, I feel that by employing representatives full-time, legislators are simply staying in Lansing and representing their caucuses and the lobbyists frequenting their offices. Instead of pounding the pavement in their district, or attending city, county and township meetings, legislators are meeting with people who may have never stepped foot in the district they represent.
That’s not right, and taxpayers have every right to demand a change. I would embrace that change.

Tax reform
$1.2 billion in cuts. That’s how the state attempted to salvage its budget for 2010. What were we left with? Laid off teachers, police officers and firefighters; reductions in aid to county fair premiums, libraries and social services, and STILL, a budget fight on the horizon.
Proposals in regards to closing tax loopholes for large corporations outsourcing Michigan jobs, punishing environmental polluters and repairing the state’s REGRESSIVE income tax structure could, and should all be examined and pursued. I feel that if elected, I will keep in mind the people that are being hurt by the “look the other way” attitude when it comes to generating revenue from these sources.
Revenue increases, the new word for taxes in Lansing now, have been proposed. For instance, a sales tax on tickets to sports, movies and concerts has been discussed, as has sales tax on bottled water and pensions. I’ve even heard during my campaign that some people think the fairest way to generate revenue would be sales tax on food and drugs.
I would be irresponsible if I said there is no way I could ever support any of these measures. If one were brought to a vote in the state House, I may support it, if action were first taken to ensure those in great wealth aren’t paying a smaller percent of taxes than the common man or woman in the state. I would also support the one least detrimental to my constituents and in NO WAY would I support taxing pensions.
But, just haplessly and greedily looking to drain more money out of working class people can’t get the state out of the mess it’s in. The Michigan Business Tax is keeping small businesses, and manufacturers from expanding and locating in Michigan. If only one percent of those who left the state this year started a business in Michigan instead, that would equal almost 900 businesses, with an unknown amount of jobs. By decreasing the surcharge on the MBT and improving the single business tax, I feel we can once again be a destination for businesses. And I would aggressively promote and vouch for businesses to locate at Arenac, Clare, Gladwin and Northern Bay counties everyday of my term, whether I was in Lansing or the district.

In closing
Do I have lofty goals and expectations? Yes. That I cannot argue. But after reporting on what the state has been through, and by researching its downward trend that has continued since the turn of the century, I feel I cannot sit idly by any longer. Michigan may never have the same auto industry it once had and it’s time to not only attempt to rebuild that industry but establish a new, fresh reputation. Michigan is currently not a glamorous destination for any industry or service, and it’s not attracting the tourism and new residents it should. However, in the 97th District and beyond, I see potential. Potential that needs direction from a representative in Lansing who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and roll up his sleeves – a representative who doesn’t owe political alliances and lobbying agencies anything, but will work for the people who elect him.
Michigan has slipped away from us, support Tim Barnum and let’s Take it Back.



Nearly 90,000 leave Michigan in '09

Michigan's non-seasonal adjusted jobless rate (unemployment) tops 15% in June and July (some navigation needed)

Executive Order 2009-22 and its effects

Michigan's regressive income tax

Part-time legislature