Saturday, January 24, 2009

Desperate Times Part VII

Other state and municipal reforms and privatizations:

63. Repeal the tax-exempt status of Blue Cross Blue Shield and the associated limitations on its ability to sell non-health insurance products.

64. Sell Cobo Hall.

65. Get government out of the golf business.

66. Privatize underused state parts.

67. Privatize state fairs and the associated lands.

68. Reform, restructure and sell portions of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

69. Privatize a variety of state human resources operations.

70. Sell the Department of Natural Resources' Mac Mullen Conference Center.

71. Privatize municipal parking garages.

72. Privatize state highway rest areas.

73. Privatize management of the Mackinac State Historic Parks.

74. Eliminate Department of Agriculture "market development" programs.

75. If gambling is expanded through "racinos" or other formats, auction the licenses.

76. Repeal protectionist auto dealership laws that prohibit car buyers from negotiating directly with manufacturers or auto brokers.

77. Level the state's regulatory playing field between banks and credit unions.

78. Don't allow municipal governments to increase public, education and government channel fees (PEG fees) on cable television companies.

79. End the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps.

80. Strengthen the law providing an emergency financial manager for insolvent municipalities and school districts by expanding the manager's powers and legal protections.

81. End state revenue-sharing to local governments wherever the money is not constitutionally mandated.

82. Let Detroit save itself by fundamentally reforming the city's government and business climate rather than pursuing further rounds of flashy government-subsidized projects.

83. Let Detroit save itself and better serve its residents through a comprehensive program of privatizing city services.

84. Let Detroit save itself by repealing the city's income tax, downsizing the city's bureaucracy and rolling back the regulatory burden on city businesses to a level similar to cities of comparable size.

85. Amend the state constitution as needed to privatize the University of Michigan.

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