LANSING – State Representative John Kivela (D-Marquette) was selected last night by House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) to be one of House escorts for the Senate members at Gov. Rick Snyder’s annual State of the State Address held at the Capitol.
“I was honored to be handpicked to participate in this tradition of the governor’s address,” Kivela said.
In his State of the State address, Snyder proposed more ideas that would hurt the middle-class families, students and seniors of Michigan. He continued his support of the Education Achievement Authority, which paves the way for school vouchers and makes it possible to allow for-profit corporations to take over public schools. Michigan drivers would also pay more in what the governor referred to as “user fees.” Snyder also called for changes to Michigan’s No-Fault Insurance law. Last year, Republican’s proposed so-called reforms that would have imposed lifetime caps on auto injury benefits. In his nearly one-hour speech, Snyder did not mention middle-class tax cuts, relief for seniors who now pay taxes on retirement income or restoring $2 billion in education funding.
The governor did specifically address the rural development fund that would boost economic development in the Upper Peninsula.
“The new severance tax will only be a success for Upper Michigan if a fair share of the rural development fund is spent here,” said Kivela. “If it is not, it will once again be the U.P. subsidizing Lower Michigan”
Joining Kivela at the address were Marquette City Manager, Bill Vajda, and Marquette Mayor, Johnny DePetro.