As GM and Chrysler goes, so goes Michigan.

We have all heard the woes that GM and Chrysler are having problems. The biggest problem is the great benefits that the unions demanded for the workers, to many brands, and not enough money to keep going unless they cut back. But the one thing I heard was that these companies cannot afford to continue to cover the huge health care and both retirees and workers must agree to take cuts if the companies are to survive.

Is the state of Michigan and it's state and municipal employees any different? State employees enjoy Blue Cross Blue Shield with Dental, Optical, and hearing. In 2005 BCBSM raised rates and on average, the cost of a policy for someone with full coverage under 25 is $118.50 and goes up to 55+ at $945.84.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/bcbsmnongroup_&_grp_conv_order_114722_7.pdf

Under the States contract with the State Employees Union, WE, the employer pays 90% and the employee pays 10%.
According to the 2008 CAFER Report, the state has some 50,799 employees not counting the retirees of the state that continue to get health care benefits.

If we take the middle age and amount for an average of what the state pays in health care it would be the 40-44 age group at $218.81 per person.


50,799
x $218.81
_________
$11,115,329.00 per month
- 10%
= 10,003,797.00 per month

Not only does Lansing need to address cutting waist in spending of each agency but Lansing needs to address the cost of health care to employees, their spouses, children, and retirees which far exceeds the example above. Here in the private sector, you know, those of us who are expected to pay our fair share, also have to pay 100% of our health care because we either own a small business, are self-employed, or we are on un-employment because of the high taxes in Michigan driving jobs away.

Is it fair for State Employees to expect to live better than their employers? It's time for the selfish self-serving employees and their UNION to join the real world with the rest of us.

SOLUTION

Michigan needs to offer it's employees the option of choosing their health care provider which would lower the cost if Blue Cross had competition. State Employees should be required to cover at least 50% of the cost of the policy they choose.

This would result in helping to reduce the State Budget without RAISING TAXES or amending our state Constitution to allow the so called FAIR TAX which isn't Fair at all.

Maybe we should use our Guaranteed Right to INSTRUCT our legislators on what we feel is a fair benefits package for our employees. We could send them all a Constructive Notice of Instruction.

Article I § 3

STATE CONSTITUTION (EXCERPT)
CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1963

§ 3 Assembly, consultation, instruction, petition.

Sec. 3.
The people have the right peaceably to assemble, to consult for the common good, to instruct their representatives and to petition the government for redress of grievances.

History: Const. 1963, Art. I, § 3, Eff. Jan. 1, 1964
Former Constitution: See Const. 1908, Art. II, § 2.