Talking Points Memo has an exclusive report detailing sweeping Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy to three of the biggest universities in Michigan. The universities involved are Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and Wayne State University. The Mackinac Center For Public Policy, based in Midland, Mich., submitted the FOIA requests last Friday […]

Teachers in the city of Monroe, Michigan have been informed that they will all be given pink slips when the school year ends. The school district is forced to do this because they face a $5.6 million budget deficit for the 2011/2012 school year along with imminent cuts of $470 per student coming from the state under Governor Rick Snyder’s […]

For the past 6 months, I’ve been predicting that the east side of Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, which includes Chelsea, Dexter, Scio Township and tiny bit of Ann Arbor, will get lumped in with Congressman John Dingell‘s 15th District during this year’s redistricting process. The Republicans in Michigan have the keys to pretty much every office involved in redistricting. With […]

Planned Parenthood arrived in Ann Arbor, Michigan yesterday with its giant pink bus. They are currently on a tour around the country to raise awareness about the Republican effort to defund Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood’s Big Pink Bus All photos by Anne C. Savage — please do not use without permission Over 500 supporters showed up to show that they […]

The fun never ceases in Michigan these days, does it? What now? This: Republicans in the state House have introduced legislation to fine striking teachers and even revoke their licenses. State Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Genoa Township, on Tuesday introduced legislation creating penalties for public schoolteachers and the Michigan Education Association for inciting or participating in strikes. House Bill 4466 would […]

You may recall me writing about how the Michigan city of Allen Park planned to layoff their entire fire department. Well, they have reversed that decision. But not before wringing concessions out of their fire fighters. Of course. The Allen Park City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to rescind layoff notices that were sent to the city’s 26 firefighters last […]

Yes, you read that right: outlawing workplace safety rules. Governor Rick Snyder has, apparently, identified one of the chief reasons Michigan businesses aren’t successful and why businesses refuse to come to Michigan: they are afraid we’ll pass a law requiring businesses to implement ergonomically safe workplaces. Well, they need not worry anymore. Today, Snyder signed a bill outlawing laws that […]

Ouch. That’s gonna leave a mark. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has quickly fallen out of favor with the citizens who elected him, reaching levels of unpopularity lower than first term Republican governors in neighboring states and almost as low as the end-of-term numbers reached by his Democratic predecessor [Jennifer Granholm], according to a new poll. The poll by Public Policy […]

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder laid out his plans to force encourage local municipalities and agencies to consolidate services to become more efficient. He’s going so far as to withhold state revenue-sharing funds to force their hand. Gov. Rick Snyder called Monday for local government employees to pay at least 20% of their health insurance premiums, and for less expensive retirement […]

Ever get the feeling that society is winding down, like an unwound clock? Here’s what I mean: Road-crunching trumps repaving in more counties LANSING — Half of Michigan’s 83 counties are expected to turn paved roads to gravel this year due to insufficient funding — three times the number from 2007. Before 2007, only 12 counties had converted paved roads […]

If you want to get a clear picture of the differences in between the two main political parties, you need look no further than Michigan this week. The differences between the parties could not be clearer … or starker. This week Democrats called for a state constitutional amendment that would guarantee workers the right bargain collectively. Private AND public workers. […]