Gubernatorial Race 2010
Terri Lynn Land Seeks to Streamline Michigan Government
By John Minnis
Terri Lynn Land hopes to do for all of state government what she has done for the Secretary of State -- and that's saying something.
Land announced her candidacy for governor at the Eastside Republican Club Political Action Committee fundraiser April 30 in Detroit at Sindbad's at the River.
According to Lita M. McKeehan, chairman of the ERC-P.A.C., proceeds from the annual fundraiser will be used to benefit local candidates.
I look forward to working with you to get Michigan moving forward, Land said. If she (Gov. Jennifer Granholm) would have done what we did, we would be in better shape.
As Secretary of State, Land has chalked a number of accomplishments:
Reduced the number of branch offices from 174 to 146.
Created Secretary of State PLUS and SUPER Centers with expanded Saturday hours and acceptance of the Discover credit card.
Reduced Secretary of State employment from 2,000 down to 1,600 through attrition, a 20 percent decrease.
Logged more than 40,000 miles on her personal car visiting every branch office in Michigan.
Standardized the operations in all branch offices.
Installed some 30 Secretary of State ATMs through which to conduct many standard transactions.
Consolidated downtown Lansing office space to the tune of $1.3 million a year in rent savings.
Improved the capabilities to the Secretary of State web site so that most business can be conducted online.
Rather than adding her name to Secretary of State branch office signs, she added the department's web site address.
Ensured that all polling places are handicapped accessible.
Made optical scanning equipment the standard in all voting places.
Expanded the organ donor database from 500,000 to 1.5 million today.
Came up with a $45 enhanced driver's license to allow land and sea border crossings without requiring the more expensive ($100) and longer-to-get U.S. passport.
We do $1 billion a week with Canada, Land said. Why wouldn't we want something that makes it easier to get across the border?
In running down her accomplishments as Secretary of State -- measures that reduced cost and increased quality of service -- Land, 50, made her case for running for governor in 2010.
Land was first elected Secretary of State in 2002. She was re-elected in 2006 and is term-limited.
Thomas R. McCleary Jr., vice-chairman of the Eastside Republican Club, related how Land was the only West Michigan member. He recalled that when she visited as a candidate for Secretary of State in 2002, she picked up a membership form and has been a paying member ever since.
She is the only West Michigan member of the Eastside Republican Club, McCleary said.
Land recalled the welcome reception she received from the Eastside Republicans and how it gave her hope that she could actually run for statewide office and succeed.
McCleary lauded Land as someone running for office that has both experience and accomplishments.
The average person can see what Terri does, McCleary said. All they have to do is go get a license plate or a driver's license.
Before becoming Secretary of State, Land, who is married to Dan Hibma with two grown children, had served seven years as the Kent County Clerk/Register of Deeds. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science from Hope College after graduating from Grandville High School.
A consummate Secretary of State, Land said she filed early in order to comply with state law that requires candidates file before soliciting campaign funds.
I might be the only one who followed that rule, she said.
Other declared gubernatorial candidates include state Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra and Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder for the Republicans, and Michigan's current Lt. Gov., John Cherry, for the Democrats.
Speaking as the state's top elections official, Land said, My passion is elections. I feel very strongly that without fair elections people can't govern.
She noted that soon voters will merely have to swipe their driver's licenses or ID cards and not have to fill out slips of paper that have to be verified by poll workers.
That little old lady who signs you in at the polling place -- we won't need her anymore, Land said. We'll find her another job to do.
Concerning the feared disenfranchisement of many voters without photo identification, Land noted that less than 1 percent of voters in the 2008 election did not have proper identification.
It really has not been a problem, she said.
Concerning larger but fewer Secretary of State branches, Land said they are more efficient.
I know when you go to a SUPER Center it looks very busy. There's a lot of people, she said. But you get through very quickly. That's the way we like it.
Concerning the cost of housing prisoners, Land said she favored allowing county jails to hold inmates for up to two years rather than one year.
That can be done on the local level a lot less expensively than the state can do it, she said.
When asked about Michigan Business Tax, Land said she has heard all kinds of horror stories. She favors a more small-business-friendly business tax.
We should treat our small businesses well, she said.
Land said she supports nuclear energy and hopes regulatory authorities make it easier for utilities to invest in Michigan.
Concerning budget cuts, Land said she has proven she can do that without sacrificing service.
I've told the Legislature, just tell me what you need and I'll make the cuts, she said. It can be done, but we have to give them (state department heads) the flexibility to do that.
Of course, 2010 elections are more than a year from now, and Land said anything could happen.
I know the governor doesn't have control over the economy, she said, but there are things she could have been doing all along.
