Steady Hand-- Chair of State House panel applies the linear approach

By Tom Kirvan Legal News Word travels fast in Lansing, much faster than it took Mark Ouimet to make the short walk from the State Capitol to his legislative office across the street from the historic jewel that sparkles downtown. Just days into his job as State Representative for the 52nd District, Ouimet was about to come face-to-face with legislative reality. Seemingly it was just minutes after he had been appointed chair of the powerful Local, Intergovernmental, and Regional Affairs Committee of the State House, a particularly plum position for a first time legislator. The ink, as they say, was "barely dry" on his appointment as committee chair when the former Washtenaw County Commissioner walked into his ninth floor office and "immediately knew that this would not be an ordinary day at work." Waiting for the new committee chair were members of Detroit City Council, including President Charles Pugh and President Pro Tem Gary Brown, both intent on lobbying Ouimet about the importance of maintaining local control of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. No sooner had the city lobbyists made their point, when it was time for the other side to be heard, as officials from Detroit suburban communities pleaded their case for greater transparency and accountability in the operation of the giant utility that has been a lightning rod for criticism over higher rates. Then, of course, there were reporters from various TV and radio outlets, all waiting for a sound bite or two from the recently-appointed chair of the 15-member Local, Intergovernmental, and Regional Affairs Committee. His legislative views have become just as newsworthy on other subjects that have come before the state committee, particularly proposed legislation to expand the powers of emergency financial managers for distressed school districts and municipalities. According to Ouimet, the series of bills would give emergency financial managers the power to restructure local government, exclude elected officials from meetings, and sell, lease or otherwise use local government assets to pay off debt. The proposed legislation also would make it easier for the state treasurer to appoint an emergency financial manager, as well as provide safeguards to ensure that local units do not go into receivership in the first place. Currently, emergency financial managers are in place for the cities of Pontiac, Ecorse and Benton Harbor, as well as for Detroit Public Schools. The proposed legislation, if approved, could lead to the appointment of many more across the state as local governmental units wrestle with declining property tax revenues and higher budget costs. The state's dire fiscal situation, which over the last few years has been marked by record high jobless rates and a meltdown in the housing market, prompted Ouimet to seek state office last year, an election battle he won over Democratic challenger Christine Green. "I grew up, started my professional career, and raised my family . . . in Washtenaw County," Ouimet said during the campaign. "Five generations of my family have made this great county their home. I want our next generation, our children and grandchildren, to have those same opportunities to grow and prosper . . . in Washtenaw County, should they so choose. "Unfortunately, today, most of our young adults . . . our talent . . . are being forced to look elsewhere for those opportunities," Ouimet said. "And the only answers proposed in Lansing seem to be to raise taxes on families and place more regulations on job providers. As a businessman, I know first-hand that those tactics quickly bring economic development to a screeching halt." If the message sounds a lot like what a certain Republican governor has been espousing, there are good reasons for that, according to Ouimet, who professes to be a "linear type" of thinker. "Rick Snyder and I have been friends for a long time and I'm a strong believer in his plan to create jobs by bringing fiscal responsibility back to Michigan," Ouimet said. "He is the kind of dynamic leader that this state needs to get us back on our feet. We are at an economic crossroad and his budget plan can help reverse the job losses that we've experienced over the past decade. Until we start creating jobs, this state is going to be stuck in a vicious cycle of budget troubles that will threaten the very stability of our governmental institutions." A native of Ann Arbor, Ouimet graduated from the former University High School. He is a graduate of Northwood Institute of Midland where he was the quarterback all four years, leading the school to three winning seasons. Published: Mon, Apr 25, 2011

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