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Jim
Barcia |
State Senator
James Barcia - Democrat (31st District) has been serving in public
office since 1976. He has represented the Bay City/Saginaw
area in the Michigan House and Senate and then in Congress for 10
years from 1993-2002.
Barcia now serves a five
county area in the State Senate; having been elected this past
November to his second stint in the state body. He
previously served as the 34th State Senator from1982 - 1992 before
moving the to Washington to serve five terms as Congressman.
The Review recently sat down
with the Senator and put forth the following questions to this
lifelong public servant. |
Review: What is it like for you in the first four months to be back in
Lansing in the State Senate?
Barcia: I'm very happy to be back in Michigan and back in the Michigan
Legislature. This is a very challenging time in our state and I feel
privileged to be here, working to help our state get back to fiscal
stability. I'm looking forward to working with Governor Granholm and my
longtime friend, Lt. Governor John Cherry. I think Gov. Granholm will be
very good for the state and have much respect for her. I think she has
the potential to be one of Michigan's greatest governors.
We are facing a difficult situation in our state right now. We have
declining revenues caused by the aggressive tax cutting of the previous
administration and a national economy that has been struggling for the
better part of two years.
Although this is a challenging situation, it gives us the opportunity to
achieve great things for the state. We can take this time to evaluate
our expenditures and determine how we can become more efficient and work
smarter. It will not always be pleasant, especially when we have to make
cuts, but I believe we can find ways to pare back our spending without
damaging our most important priorities - K-12 education, tourism,
agriculture, and public safety.
It's been wonderful to renew old friendships with colleagues. In the
Congress I sometimes served on committees with over 70 members. Here in
the Michigan Senate, our committees are much smaller, often only three to
five members. We are able to move more expeditiously and address issues in a
timelier manner.
With only 38 members in the State Senate, it is more likely that we will
be able to find compromises and reach consensus. This was a more difficult
task in the 435 member U.S. Congress.
Review: Could you explain how you reached your decision to leave
Congress and run for the State Senate?
Barcia: When Michigan lost a Congressional seat and the state was
re-districted after the 2000 census, I really had to evaluate what I
wanted to do. If I ran again for Congress, I would have had to run against my
good friend and colleague, Dale Kildee.
My other option was to run for the State Senate seat in the 31st
District. After a lot of soul searching, I really felt I could be more effective
and do more for the Thumb-area residents by being back here in Michigan.
The prospect of working with a new governor and a new administration was
also very appealing to me. My roots are here in the Michigan Legislature
and in the thumb- area. In the end, it really wasn't that hard to
decide. I'm glad to be back home.
Review: What have you missed about being in Congress or Washington, D.C.
so far?
Barcia: I miss my colleagues and friends, especially those from the
Michigan delegation. I met some wonderful people and made a number of
great friends on both sides of the aisle. I enjoyed co-chairing the
Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and the Democratic Pro-Life Caucus, both of which are
very important to me.
Serving in the U.S. Congress gave me a much broader perspective on
issues such as terrorism and the global economy. I will miss the opportunities
to meet with international political leaders and travel to other parts of
the world. I traveled to Afghanistan last August and was able to see first
hand the oppressive effects of the Taliban. This country was lacking the
basic infrastructure and services that we take for granted in America.
The one thing I can tell you that I won't miss is the weekly commute. I
don't miss traveling every Monday and Friday. I enjoy being home in Bay
City and feel more connected to the citizens and more in touch with the
needs of our communities.
Review: What committees have you been assigned to for the current
session?
Barcia: I am member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serve as
Minority Vice Chair on Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environmental
Quality and Transportation. I also serve as a member of the Joint
Committee on Legislative Rules, co-chair of the Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's
Caucus, and am Associate President Pro Temp of the Senate as well as the
Democratic Caucus Whip.
Review: What are the issues that you would like to have an impact on
during the next four years?
Barcia: As the Vice-Chair of the Appropriations subcommittees I hope to
have an impact in a number of areas. One issue that is very important to
me is streamlining our state government. We need to find ways to reduce our
spending while making sure we protect our vital programs. Serving on
Appropriations will afford me the opportunity to have a direct impact on
determining how the state spends its revenues.
Another issue of importance to me is the protection of the rights of
property owners, especially waterfront property owners. I recently
introduced legislation to ease beachfront maintenance regulations for
Michigan's waterfront property owners. Michigan's lakefront property
owners have been allowed to groom and maintain their beachfront property for
decades. The vast majority of these people are environmentally conscious
individuals who care deeply about our natural resources and are
committed to preserving the integrity of the shoreline. I want to be sure their
rights are protected.
As an active member of the Michigan's Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus,
where I serve as co-chair, my goals are to highlight the importance of
hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities to our state's economy.
We will also work to support the maintenance and growth of
outdoor-related industries and activities in Michigan. As a life long hunter and
fisherman, it is critically important to me to preserve this important part of our
state's heritage and economy.
Review: Do you plan on running for Bangor Township Supervisor in the
future?
Barcia: No.
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