May 12, 1994

Political Week in Review

• Tuesday’s filing deadline for November elections saw a plethora of candidates create what will be one of the busiest Michigan campaign seasons in a generation. The eight-candidate race for a U.S. Senate seat ties a state record set in 1978 for that contest. Ten state senators—the most since 1978—and more than a dozen state representatives will not run for reelection. As expected, several representatives—including most recently Rep. Joe Young, Jr. (D-Detroit)—have filed for Senate races as soon as incumbents revealed plans to bow out. Contrary to speculation, gubernatorial candidate Rep. H. Lynn Jondahl (D-Okemos) did not use a Tuesday press conference to announce a change in his plans to seek his party’s nomination to oppose John Engler on the November ballot. Lansing developer and Michigan State University Board of Trustees Chairman Joel Ferguson, thought by some to be cooling on the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, not only filed for the office but also announced that sports legend and Lansing native Earvin "Magic" Johnson would hold three fund-raisers for his campaign. Ronna Romney, one of two Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate seat, beat Tuesday’s filing rush-hour and got additional publicity in the bargain by filing 20,000 petition signatures last week.
• Electioneering began in earnest late last week as several major labor endorsements were announced. The 600,000-member AFL-CIO gave its endorsement to Democratic gubernatorial hopeful and former Congressman Howard Wolpe, as did the UAW. Fellow gubernatorial candidates Larry Owen and Debbie Stabenow received endorsements from the Michigan Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union, respectively. This week, the Michigan Education Association endorsed Owen. The 127,000-member public school employee union also backed the U.S. Senate candidacy of Democratic former U.S. Rep. William Brodhead.
• Against this escalating level of campaign background noise, four Lansing incumbents said farewell this week to further elective office. Senate veterans Phil Arthurhultz (R-Whitehall) and Jack Faxon (D-Farmington Hills) both cited the increasingly strident partisanship of the Lansing legislative process as contributing to their decisions. Faxon, who has served continuously since 1970, previously served in the House and was a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1961-62. A former Senate page and staff member, Arthurhultz has served since 1978. He has been majority floor leader for a decade. Faxon is a former president pro tem of the chamber. Former state trooper Rep. Bill Martin (R-Battle Creek) and second-most-senior House member and co-chair of the Appropriations Committee Rep. Richard Young (D-Dearborn Heights) will not return to the lower chamber. Young’s departure ends a 30-year legislative career. Martin co-chairs the Insurance Committee and is completing his fourth term.
• An annual state education poll found parents giving schools the lowest grades since the survey began 12 years ago. Conducted by Public Sector Consultants, the survey of 800 residents found only 42 percent willing to give their local schools an A or B grade. This is down from 56 percent last year.
• Michigan firms dominate a recent list of black-owned businesses published in Black Enterprise magazine. Nineteen state firms, including 12 from Detroit, put Michigan in top position, followed by Illinois (with 18 companies), New York (17), and California (16).

Legislative News

• A second rape conviction could bring chemical castration to perpetrators under omnibus anticrime legislation passed by the House this week. Use of the drug Depo-Provera on paroled repeat sex offenders is among provisions of HBs 5446–48, which passed overwhelmingly. The "three-strikes and you’re out" crime package restricts parole for habitual offenders convicted of specified crimes.
• The 1994–95 Department of Education budget (SB 985) passed the House this week on a 92-24 vote. The $42 million general fund spending bill got a $2.1 million hike over the version approved by the Senate, with the additional funds earmarked for a school breakfast program.