The problem with running the government like a business is this: IT ISN'T A BUSINESS. Mr. Colbeck has been one of the worst in the state government in attacking our public schools. Believe it or not, Mr. Colbeck, we here in Northville see great value in our excellent public school system. It helps maintain our high property values, and you, with your love of charter schools, and your votes to reduce the amount of funding to them are a threat. I'm sure Mr. Colbeck will not write a letter to the editor of the Patch talking about all the money he is accepting from the Charter and Virtual school lobbies. Remember this at election time in 2014.

Yes! Better to let unaccountable private business men and unelected officials run things for us. There is a value to what government provides, and smaller is not always better. These regulations are overly burdensome on the public sector and create the very waste of efforts that a fiscal conservative should be opposed to. Mr. Colbeck doesn't really want a successful, responsible public sector. He wants to have a thriving private sector replacing public works. If there was anywhere close to the level of waste he wants you to imagine, there would not be such difficulty in providing education, water, public transit, etc. within the squeezed public sector. This kind of disaster capitalism is a shyster's ploy. Please don't fall for it and the the wise thing. Vote him out of office and replace him with one who has faith in the greatness of our nation. Replace him with one who has faith in the works of the government he is supposed to be there to improve.

I'm not sure I believe the full time Michigan Legislature is providing "value for money". What are your plans for that? When you are looking at services being provided by the government you need to remember what Albert Einstein said. "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."

First: I am not a "customer", I am a person, a citizen. Second: "Civil? bipartisan?" - from the man who bans anyone from posting their comments, or who's staff hangs up the phone on you, when you disagree with him, because you are not being "respectful". Third: Since when does the Dept of Civil Rights, Corrections, Education, have to "prove their existence"? This Senator has been the most "right- wing wrong for Michigan since he was elected (p.s. I left out the words that were disrespectful just now!)

Also, call the senator and ask him: Why he doesn't allow an Amendment to SB 619, unlimited Cyber Schools (that he pushed for and got), providing for their disclosure of finances? He does not want transparency for his for profit public charter cyber schools.

Senator Colbeck,

The bills sound great - thank you for your work on them! Government is not working as it is and big changes are needed. Transparency is needed, across the board. People need to get engaged, and they need to make government officials accountable. We have evolved to the point where these people are not fulfilling their intended roles and that means things need to be shaken up. Real leaders are the ones that do the right thing for the future of the whole, not just for now or just for themselves. Anything you can do that leads to transparency and accountability helps this cause and I applaud it.
By the way, I don't blame you if you or your office does not engage with people that cannot act professional in their dealings with you. That never gets people anywhere good.
Also, schools cannot be a monopoly because they are teaching what they want how they want. This is great for liberals because the liberal agenda is pushed in schools. This does not work for the good of the whole and options must be present. This is the reason there are laws against monopolies - some people may win but many end up losing and have no choice in the matter. All choices should be transparent, I agree.