I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
With an economic crisis still battering Michigan, a foreclosure crisis resulting in steep declines in property value and a budget shortfall of over $6 billion dollars, what will Gov. Jennifer Granholm say to Michiganders in her State of the State address?
The speech, an annual opportunity for the state’s chief executive to lay out priorities for the coming year, will be broadcast tonight at 7:00 p.m. on public broadcast stations.
So what priorities are the media folks reporting the governor will unveil tonight?
As reported yesterday by Michigan Messenger, you can expect a call from Granholm to call for passage of the Home Foreclosure Prevention Act.
Peter Luke from Booth Newspapers at MLive.com reports the Gov will tout a plan to eliminate the Department of History, Arts and Libraries, as well as consolidation of the state’s 18 departments into as few as 8 over the next couple of years.
Associated Press journo Kathy Barks Hoffman reports another proposal from Granholm might include layoffs:
The administration doesn’t know how much would be saved or how many jobs would be cut if departments were consolidated.
But the prospect of job cuts in 2010 has state workers concerned.
Granholm is expected to name Lt. Gov. John Cherry to head a commission that would look for ways to improve how state government runs.
Cherry hopes to succeed Granholm when she steps down in 2010, and the commission could give him selling points he can use in his gubernatorial campaign.
Not to be accused of not taking one for the cause, Granholm also intends to ask the State Officers Compensation Committee to cut the salaries of the governor, lieutenant governor, state attorney general and secretary of state by 10 percent. The governor will also ask the commission to cut the salaries of the state supreme court justices as well as other judges in the state.
What do you want to hear from the governor? What do you think the state’s agenda should be?
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter