Local Government Experience
As a county commissioner Bolger served in the minority. Here he worked with the Democratic majority to achieve consolidation for three 911 Calhoun County dispatchers. The consolidation of the Battle Creek, Albion and Marshall centers into a single center in Marshall resulted in improved service while saving $1.5 million for local taxpayers.

State Legislative Success
During his tenure as Speaker, Bolger helped achieve significant change for Michigan’s hardworking families. With his help, Michigan became a Right to Work state, the job-killing and complex Michigan Business Tax was repealed and replaced with a simple and competitive Corporate Income Tax, and the investment-punishing Personal Property Tax on business equipment was repealed for manufacturers and small businesses. While Michigan had lost over 800,000 jobs in the prior decade and the state led the nation with an unemployment rate in excess of 14%, Michigan workers gained 300,000 jobs and unemployment fell to 6.3% during his tenure.

Significant reforms during Bolger’s tenure also included the long sought education reforms of teacher tenure reform and the elimination of the cap on charter schools. The state’s $1.5 billion budget deficit was eliminated through government restructuring while taxes were cut.

Through reforms and payments the state’s unfunded liabilities were reduced by $20 billion and the state’s savings account was built from $2 million to over $700 million. And, Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law was reformed helping reverse Detroit’s decades-old decline finally being resolved through bankruptcy restructuring and state participation in its bankruptcy settlement.