LANSING – State Representative Vicki Barnett (D-Farmington Hills) today was sworn in to her first term in the Michigan House of Representatives during a ceremony at the State Capitol marking the beginning of the 95th Legislature.
"In my travels throughout the district, I heard one constant refrain – people are unhappy with Lansing, and they want change," said Barnett, the former Mayor of Farmington Hills. "We need to fix our struggling economy, and I will fight every day to protect our workers and business owners, and to create new, well-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced. Michigan is facing serious challenges, and I am ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take them on."
After the ceremony, Barnett and her colleagues went to work immediately by introducing the Hire Michigan First plan, which will ensure that Michigan workers get the first chance at jobs created by companies that benefit from state economic development programs or tax breaks. The plan cracks down on companies that hire illegal workers by canceling their state contracts and tax incentives. It also requires those companies to pay back incentives already received and bars them from obtaining future contracts.
Also on Barnett's agenda is a plan that reduces lawmakers' pay, a plan that passed the House last year but was stalled in the Senate.
"With Michigan facing billions in budget deficits over the next few years and families throughout the state struggling to make ends meet, it's outrageous that lawmakers have not taken it upon themselves to share that burden," said Barnett, who represents the 37th House District. "We need to streamline state government, and that means cutting spending and getting rid of expensive perks that only add to the budget problems Michigan faces year after year. I'm confident that by working together, we can come up with serious solutions that will move Michigan forward."