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.
The Michigan House of Representatives has passed the “Hire Michigan First” plan. House Democrats say the 12-bill package will ensure that Michigan workers get the first crack at jobs created by companies that benefit from state economic development programs or tax breaks. The plan will also crack down on companies that hire illegal workers, by canceling their state contracts and tax incentives.
“This aggressive plan will ensure that Michigan workers are put first when companies get incentives that are paid for with taxpayer dollars,” said state Rep. Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens), the lead sponsor of the package. “Michigan’s workers have the skills and the know-how to get any job done. We must stand by our working families during these tough times and create new opportunities for our workers, and that’s exactly what this plan will do. This plan fights unemployment by rewarding companies that hire Michigan residents.”
House Democrats say the “Hire Michigan First” plan will give preference for tax breaks and other economic development tools to companies that hire the most Michigan residents. This rule would apply to projects handled by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and certain state-funded programs, including the Michigan Economic Growth Authority, the Renaissance Zone Act and several others.
Continued -“Michigan’s working families have been hit hard by downsizing and outsourcing, and every job we protect makes a difference,” said state Rep. Marc Corriveau (D-Northville). “By creating jobs and putting Michigan workers first, our working families will have more money in their pocketbooks – money that will be spent in our local economy. This plan will not only bring much-needed jobs to our community for our workers, it will also help boost our economy and get Michigan back on track.”
Each of the 12 bills had a different sponsor and passed pretty much along party lines in the Democrat-controlled house.
The vote totals:
HB 5780 — 61-43
HB 5781 — 68-37
HB 5782 — 62-43
HB 5783 — 64-41
HB 5784 — 71-34
HB 5785 — 69-36
HB 5786 — 70-34
HB 5787 — 72-33
HB 5788 — 68-37
HB 5789 — 70-35
HB 5790 — 70-35
HB 5791 — 70-35
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