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 continued budget pressures on the City of Lansing have led officials to eliminate a rented space on the city’s south side that has most recently housed the investigation unit of the police department.
Until 2010, the facility housed investigations and patrol personnel to service the south end of Lansing.
Now, however, in order to save an estimated $250,000 the city is consolidating all police activities into a facility on the city’s north end, a memo given to the Public Safety Committee of the City Council says.
The Administration [of Mayor Virg Bernero] has now determined for management and financial reasons to continue its consolidation of police functions by housing all patrol and investigative divisions at 740 Prudden St. This will further enhance overall management of police functions, and will reduce costs in future budget years. The move is currently anticipated to be accomplished by the end of September, and the lease at Everett Plaza will be terminated as quickly as the lease provides.
From a budgetary perspective, consolidating the Investigations Division currently housed at Everett Plaza with the Patrol Division currently housed at 740 Prudden Street reduces costs. The City currently spends nearly $700,000 annually to lease these spaces, including utilities and janitorial services. There is sufficient room in the currently leased space at Prudden Street to house the Investigations Division, so eliminating the Everett Plaza lease is projected to reduce costs by more than $250,000 in FY13 and FY14.
The move, the memo says, is going to cost $50,000.
Consolidation is another step made necessary as the state revenue sharing and property tax values continue to decline in the housing crisis. Earlier this year, Bernero eliminated several police positions — after some were saved by a grant. He originally proposed eliminating 75 such positions. Bernero and City Council placed a ballot question to increase property taxes to fund public safety in May but it was voted down.
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