Rick Snyder - Governor of Michigan

Governor of Michigan

Snyder was inaugurated as Governor on January 1, 2011 at the Capitol in Lansing. His first executive order as governor was to divide the Department of Natural Resources and Environment into two distinct departments as they were a few years ago: the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality.

On January 7, 2011, Snyder announced he was appointing Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura D. Corrigan to head the Department of Human Services. and appointed Michigan Appeals Court Judge Brian K. Zahra to fill the resulting Supreme Court vacancy.

He delivered his first State of the State address on January 19, the earliest Michigan State of the State since Governor Engler's 1996 address on January 17. Snyder endorsed the Detroit River International Crossing for the first time publicly in the address, which was received favorably by Republicans. Snyder appointed Andy Dillon, a pro-life Democrat, and formerly Speaker of the House, to serve as State Treasurer in his administration.

Snyder presented his first budget to the legislature on February 17, 2011, calling it a plan for "Michigan's reinvention," and saying it would end Michigan's deficits. He also described the budget as containing "shared sacrifice" but added that his budget plan would create jobs and spur economic growth. The $46 billion budget reduced $1.8 billion in spending, eliminated tax exemptions on higher income pensions to broaden the tax base, while at the same time abolished the state's complex business tax, replacing it with a significantly reduced flat tax on the profits of C corporations. This shift in tax burden led State Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer to criticize the budget, saying that it did not involve "shared sacrifice," but instead was balanced "on the backs of our kids, working families, and our seniors" and "picks out who he’s willing to leave behind." Snyder supported the government backed rescue of the American auto industry. This reflected the view of a 56% of Americans in 2012 who supported the 2009 auto bailout according a Pew Research Center poll (63% support in Michigan).

On March 16, 2011, Snyder signed a controversial bill into law that gave more powers to emergency managers that they did not have before. The bill was repealed by voter initiative in November 2012. However, weeks later in December 2012 Snyder signed a revised version of the bill back into law.

On December 28, 2011, Snyder signed into law The Public Employee Domestic Partner Benefit Restriction Act, which prevents the same-sex domestic partners of public employees at both the state and local level from receiving health benefits. In January 2012, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Snyder and the state of Michigan in federal court on behalf of five Michigan same-sex couples, each with one spouse working for local public schools or municipalities in Michigan. The suit alleges that the law violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Following approval from the legislature, Snyder signed the fiscal year 2012 budget in June, the earliest it has been completed in three decades.

In April 2012, Snyder made a surprise trip to Afghanistan to thank and pledge support for U.S. troops. He traveled to Kuwait and then to Germany where he visited injured U.S. soldiers at the U.S. Military hospital. Snyder has also engaged in trade missions to Europe, Asia, and around the world in order to improve international business relations as well as research and development opportunities associated with Michigan universities. Snyder has focused efforts to attract companies such as Chrysler.

In May 2012, Snyder sent a letter to the majority and minority leaders of the U.S. Senate urging Congress to affirm that states can collect sales taxes on online purchases.

Snyder was briefly mentioned as a possible pick to be the Republican Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 2012. Snyder's business executive background and 'positive' style have been cited as an asset, with his deeds seen as strengthening the case for electing a business executive candidate as President of the United States.

As governor, Snyder abolished the state's complex business tax in favor of a flat tax, and signed a bill which eliminated tax exemptions for higher income pensions. Snyder signed "landmark" legislation in December 2012 making Michigan the 24th "Right to Work" state in the U.S. as part of a plan to attract business and jobs to the state. The law effectively provides that payment of union dues cannot be required as a condition of employment. In December 2012, Snyder signed legislation requiring facilities where at least 120 abortions are performed annually to obtain a state license as freestanding surgical facilities. Planned Parenthood had urged Snyder to veto the bill claiming it unnecessarily increases costs.

A Market Research Group poll conducted in March 2012 showed Snyder's approval rating rising to 50% among likely voters, which matched that of President Barack Obama, placing Snyder among the most popular Republican governors in a state carried by Obama in the 2008 election cycle. In November 2012, Snyder's approval numbers from Public Policy Polling topped those of his potential rivals by six points. However, public reaction to Michigan's "Right to Work" law has been less positive; the measure was passed despite significant public protest, and Snyder's December 2012 approval was down ten points in a potential match-up for 2014. In January 2013, a Mitchell Research poll showed Snyder's approval at 50%.