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.
State Rep. Fred Durhal of Detroit announces a plan he says will provide free college tuition for every graduating high school student in Michigan without raising taxes. (Photo by Todd A. Heywood/Michiugan Messenger)
LANSING — State Rep. Fred Durhal announced Monday that he has a plan that will provide free college tuition for graduates of Michigan’s high schools. He says his plan will be accomplished without raising taxes.
Durhal, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, said he will introduce a resolution on Tuesday which will call for the creation of a constitutional amendment to create the Michigan College Tuition Fund as part of the Michigan Department of Treasury. He said the fund will be fed by the creation of three so-called “super lotteries,” a “voluntary” donation of one percent of gross receipts from all casinos operating in Michigan, donations from tax refunds and corporate and other donations.
Such an amendment to the state’s constitution would require either a petition drive, or an act of the legislature, followed by a vote of the citizens. Durhal said he expects the proposed amendment will be on the November 2010 ballot.
“If Michigan is to become a destination for advanced technologies, emerging alternative energy industries, medical research and development and other high-tech fields, we must produce a highly educated workforce,” Durhal said.
Durhal said his plan will raise an estimated $1.7 billion over four years, but he plans to send as many as 63,000 Michigan high school graduates to college. The average cost of tuition in Michigan is $9,000. Durhal’s plan is short about $142 million a year, but he said he is confident that businesses will pick up the slack.
In order to qualify for the program, Durhal said a high school student must graduate with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and must have been a Michigan resident and student for five consecutive years prior to graduate. Those who get the grant will also be obligated to perform a year of public service, with Durhal seeing those students returning to their alma maters to mentor students who are underachieving and assisting them to raise their GPA to 2.5. He said any person who receives the grant, but accepts a job outside of Michigan, will be required to either repay the grants or volunteer for an additional year in the area into which they move.
Matt Marsden, a spokesman for Sen. Majority Leader Mike Bishop said the Rochester Republican had not yet had a chance to review the proposal.
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