By Nick Smith
Staff Writer
Posted: January 5, 2018 2:35 PM

It’s an election year, so those who follow politics and know how the legislative process works know what that means: it’s time to play it safe.

Year-end stories I and other reporters have written list goals for what to try and push through or take initial steps on in the coming year.

But we all know that there really isn’t a full year to get many of these items moving. The time has come, once budget work begins in earnest in February, for there to be a marked drop-off in pushing for any major initiatives, until it’s safe after Election Day or in 2019.

Unless there’s some emergency need to tackle a pressing issue, most major proposals, especially controversial ones that may require a tough vote will not get very far after January or February.

So if the Legislature wants to act on matters such as, say, driver responsibility fees, they are likely going to have to hit the ground running once they return on Wednesday and be close to a final compromise within a month or so.

Another matter that may need heavy lifting with a short turnaround period would be the response to the new federal tax law that could result in the estimated $1.4 billion in additional state revenue. The federal law essentially did away with the personal exemption in favor or expanding the standard deduction. Since Michigan’s income tax law allows state personal exemptions only if there are federal personal exemptions, the state might be in line for the extra revenue.

State officials have already been saying a fix is needed to offset the windfall. Lawmakers will either need to push through some sort of quick fix or find a compromise to take in some or all of the money and put it to good use in a way that won’t upset taxpayers. Again, how best to play safe and not upset the very people who will determine whether they have a job at the end of the year?

One can otherwise expect the myriad of non-controversial smaller and mid-level pieces of legislation going through the process to continue with a fair share of them eventually being passed and signed.

Even though almost none of them will go anywhere, expect members on each side of the aisle to also periodically roll out bills that are little more than red meat for their respective base. Par for the course, but it’s always interesting to see what new versions of bills that will not pass will be unveiled at taxpayer expense.