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 enormous cuts in local revenue sharing in the new state budget are forcing drastic layoffs and service cuts all around the state. Grand Rapids is the latest to announce the fallout from the new budget and, as expected, the cuts will most seriously hit local police and fire protection.
Out of the 125 layoffs, 41 will come from the police department, 28 from the fire department and 48 will be members of the Grand Rapids Employees Independent Union, the largest city union.
Nonunion and administrative staff also will be cut…The job cuts will reduce the city’s workforce by 23 percent from 2002 levels.
The situation is prompting police and fire unions to consider asking for a new local tax increase to help restore those cuts:
Police and fire union leaders said Thursday they are expecting layoffs among their ranks, and the top police representative said officers are exploring whether a public-safety tax is feasible to restore jobs.
Even in conservative West Michigan, these cuts are not going to be popular with the voters. As I’ve said many times, the no taxes pledge may draw applause from the hardcore ideological activists at Mackinac Island but they aren’t going to play well. And the sole reason for these cuts is that Mike Bishop and his Republican caucus refuse to raise any state revenue, insisting on nothing but cuts to balance the budget. I can’t help but think those chickens are going to come home to roost next November.
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