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 State Capitol Rotunda (Creative Commons photo by CedarBend via Flickr)
LANSING — Expect a long night at the State Capitol. Just as state budget negotiations continue in advance of an Oct. 1 deadline, multiple sources in the House are telling Michigan Messenger the current budget session could run as late as 3 a.m., while Senate sources say that body will be in session until about midnight.
Meanwhile, The Detroit News reports Gov. Jennifer Granholm visited the floor of the House earlier on Thursday to lobby legislative Democrats to prevent steep cuts in education, police and fire and social safety net programs such as Medicaid.
“The ball is obviously in the Legislature’s court right now, and I’m trying to do whatever I can to help them,” Granholm told reporters. “I would like to see some softening of the worst cuts because those cuts would be dangerous.”
In addition to Granholm’s impromptu visit to the House, Speaker Andy Dillon, a Democrat from Redford Township, acknowledged that before introducing any tax or fee increases, he is waiting for joint House-Senate conference committees to report out final budget bills.
Lawmakers are trying ax $1.2 billion from the 2010 budget, and have until midnight Sept. 30 to complete a balanced budget. The budget actually has a $2.8 billion budget shortfall, but Dillon and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, a Republican from Rochester, agreed last week to a target of cutting $1.2 billion, before considering tax or fee increases.
The GOP-controlled Senate passed a budget earlier this year with billions of dollars in cuts, and no tax or fee increases. The House has not taken up those bills. Bishop has consistently said his caucus will not support tax or fee hikes.
In addition, the Lansing State Journal reports that the conference committees are considering cuts for local revenue sharing totaling $172 million. That would $163 million in cuts to cities and townships and another $9 million to counties. The cuts represent a 13 percent cut to revenue sharing for cities and townships.
That committee has recessed to allow time for additional negotiations.
Also, the Democratic-controlled House has scheduled sessions for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but will take off Monday to recognize the Yom Kippur holiday.
Michigan Republicans are supposed to head to Mackinac Island for their party’s annual policy conference. Some GOP candidates have slated island fundraisers.
It is unclear whether the GOP-dominated Senate will hold sessions during the weekend, or on the Yom Kippur holiday.
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