STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARY VALENTINE (D-NORTON SHORES)

I've never been the biggest fan of the whole part-time legislature concept.  Past tense.  That was before I was introduced to the best excuse for a part-time legislature in the history of excuses and part-time legislatures.  

91st District Democrat Mary Valentine.  

Valentine apparently went to Lansing with an idea in her head.  She took it upon herself to force the government into every aspect of every man, woman and child's life in the state of Michigan.  

She individually sponsored or co-sponsored no fewer than one-hundred-and-five House resolutions covering everything from the establishment of March as "Colorectal Awareness Month" to commemorating February 2nd as Michigan "Give Kids a Smile Day" to recognizing the first week of April as "National Work Zone awareness week."  Our tax dollars at work.

That, of course, was when she wasn't busy with HCR 0021, a resolution urging Congress to move a Constitutional Amendment providing equal rights for women.  Because in Valentine's world women don't have equal rights under the law.  And, apparently, Valentine wishes she was in Washington DC, not Lansing, Michigan.  

That's very clearly reflected in the fact that she sponsored or cosponsored 31 resolutions telling Congress and the President what to do.  And here I thought we had more than enough problems to deal with right there in Lansing.  Silly me.

But I shouldn't complain.  When Valentine was dealing with issues affecting Michigan families she wasn't doing any of her constituents any favors.  She co-sponsored House Bills 4044 and 4045, the Trial Lawyer Enhancement Act complete with retroactive enforcement, putting 540 Michigan companies and 30,000 jobs at risk.

She introduced a package of legislation telling you what you can and can't eat and what restaurants can and can't serve in her holy crusade against trans-fat.  

And she cosponsored HB 4173 a bill designating US 127 as "Annie Oakley Memorial Trail."  Okay, so that isn't as immediately and sweepingly damaging to the state as bills telling you what to eat or letting the trial lawyers sue Michigan businesses for obeying the law but give the woman a break.  Work that hard on killing personal freedoms and you deserve a minute to catch your breath.  

Of course, the thing that really gets me about HB 4173 is the fact that US 127 runs north / south through mid-Michigan.  It's nowhere near Muskegon, Norton Shores or Lake Michigan.  Does Valentine just have an Annie Oakley fascination?

But that's neither here nor there, she had a lot of really important work to do and deserved the break.  

Especially with the MEA calling her number and demanding she scuttle MESSA reform.  They claim her as their own and she answered the bell, voting NO on the most common sense reform Lansing's ever seen, a move that returns $400 million a year from the gilded pockets of the teacher's union to our kids in the classroom.

But wait, there's more.  Just be ready... it'll make you scratch your head.  Or yell at your computer screen, one or the other.  

Let's start with a trip down memory lane, shall we?  Turn back the clock to October, 2006, almost a year ago to the day.  Mary Valentine spoke with Grand Rapids WOOD TV 8 about her race leading to this question and answer session:

If elected, would you support an increase in income or other taxes to keep state government programs fully funded?

No.

That's not an abbreviated answer.  I didn't cut her off mid sentence.  There wasn't anything else after that.  She seemed to be attempting to make a point.  The answer was emphatic in it's brevity.

Now go ahead and fast forward to the night of September 30 and the early morning hours of October 1st.  Valentine got an opportunity to put her money where her mouth was.  

On the House Democrat's $600+ million service tax hike Valentine voted YES.

On the House Democrat's nearly $800 million income tax increase Valentine voted YES.

She plainly and clearly told voters before the election that she would not raise the income or other taxes.  First chance she got she broke her word.  What's more, TV 8 even gave her an out when they asked the question, tossing in the "to keep state government programs fully funded" clause.  Valentine still issued an emphatic NO.  

Tax hiker Mary Valentine's House Democrat website proudly claims that she's taught Sunday School to kids for the past sixteen years.  I'd like to remind her of a passage of scripture she's probably taught more times than she can even remember.  The ninth commandment tells God's people `thou shall not lie.'

Mary Valentine told taxpayers she wouldn't raise their taxes.  Period.  She broke her word immediately.  And while we're on scripture, Matthew chapter 7 verse 20 tells us "You shall know a tree by it's fruit."  Valentine's is full of worms.  In 2008 the voters will have an opportunity to chop that tree down and plant a new one.