Dear Friends:

 As your State Representative, I will periodically send out e-newsletters to keep you informed of current events in Lansing.  I hope you enjoy reading them. However, should you wish to be removed from our email list, please reply to this message and put the word, "unsubscribe" in the subject line of the email.

 Comparing Spending:

 I recently compared Michigan's taxing and spending system to Missouri's system.  Michigan could take a page from Missouri's playbook on reducing taxing and spending.  Missouri and Michigan are similarly-situated states and helps put into perspective how Michigan is overspending in certain areas.  What really appealed to me about Missouri's spending is how it was focused on the actual taxpayers.  In comparison, the state of Michigan needs to make some changes to become a better servant to the people that fund it.

Missouri being known as the "Show Me State" lives up to its reputation and provides a website that shows where their tax dollars are being spent (See www.mapyourtaxes.mo.gov).  Michigan could benefit from a website like this. It would provide Michiganders with an easy way to see how their tax dollars are being spent and would encourage more efficient spending on the part of the legislature since all spending would be made easily accessible to the public.

 As you know I have been an advocate for reducing the amount the government pays its state employees.  When I compared what Missouri pays its state employees I was not surprised to see that Michigan pays more.  On average Michigan pays $49,600 per state employee, compared to Missouri's $36,974 per state employee.  Michigan is paying 34-percent more per government employee than Missouri pays its state employees.  When you consider that Missouri and Michigan residents have relatively the same average for personal income of $32,793 and $33,784 respectively (a difference of only 3 percent) you begin to wonder why the State of Michigan's employees are paid so much more in comparison to the average personal income.

Part of Michigan's problem with spending is that it is not focused on benefiting the taxpayers.  For instance, Missouri spends $104.05 per capita on prisoners compared to Michigan which pays $170.41 per capita on prisoners (66-percent more than Missouri).  Missouri saves its taxpayers money on prisoners, something few would object to.  Missouri seems to understand that its tax payers should reap the benefits of their hard earned dollars.  Michigan spends 22-percent less per capita on road improvements compared to Missouri, despite a harsher climate and heavier load maximums here.  In Michigan we pay a higher gas tax, sales tax and nearly double property tax than if we resided in Missouri.  These significant discrepancies in spending are not fair to Michigan taxpayers and need to be addressed.

To the disadvantage of Michigan residents like you, House Democrats have refused to take-up acts that would allow taxpayers to plainly see where their tax dollars are going.  If such acts were put in place Michigan would have a website like Missouri that would show taxpayers where their tax dollars are being spent.  Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly where your money is going when you pay your state taxes?  House Democrats don't seem to think so.  They believe you should put blind trust in your government spending billions of your tax dollars.

I hope this comparison to Missouri has helped put into perspective the need for more responsible spending in Michigan.  As your Representative I want to assure you that I recognize Michigan's spending problem, and I continue to be open to all ways in reducing spending and ultimately reducing taxes on hard working people like yourself.

 Sincerely,

 Dave

 Dave Agema
State Representative
74th District of Michigan