Articles tagged: legislature
EDITORIAL: Legislature should slow its race to eliminate personal property tax
Posted: Apr 29, 2012For local governments across Michigan, budgets are looking a lot less grim than they were last year. Ann Arbor is a good example of that. City Council came into this year thinking it would have ... Read more »
OPINION: Proposed state ban on domestic partner benefits is bad for business and should be vetoed
Posted: Dec 15, 2011This month, a number of CEOs from West Michigan had the chance to meet with Gov. Rick Snyder on the topic of developing, attracting, and retaining talent in our state. After being involved in such a positive meeting, I'm shocked that House Bills 4770 and 4771, negative measures that bar state employers from offering domestic partnership health benefits, have passed the Legislature and are waiting on the governor's desk. Read more »
WITH POLL: State Senate eyes new plan to save Michigan's film incentive program
Posted: Jul 14, 2011A new proposal to save Michigan’s film incentive program scales back the current program that expires at the end of the year and provides more money for productions that use Michigan workers and facilities. “I ... Read more »
Senate Republicans reject GOP plan to require public employees to pay more of health insurance costs
Posted: Jul 14, 2011LANSING - Republicans in the Senate have rejected the House GOP’s version of a sweeping statewide requirement that public employees pay more for their health insurance. The 36-0 vote Wednesday sends the bill to a ... Read more »
State Senate votes to set time limit on welfare benefits
Posted: Jul 13, 2011LANSING - With more than 12,600 welfare recipients and their children poised to lose monthly checks effective Oct. 1, supporters of a strict 48-month benefits limit say its time to end endless entitlements. But critics ... Read more »
Column: Q&A with state Rep. Dian Slavens: Eliminate retiree health care benefit for all current lawmakers
Posted: Jun 25, 2011Some of our state lawmakers made a courageous move this past week, approving legislation that would slash lifetime health care for themselves and their families. The House bill, which still must be approved by the ... Read more »
Michigan must keep PACE on home energy efficiency
Posted: Feb 28, 2010What was your home heating bill last month? Was it $300, $400, maybe even $500? All around us, there is much buzz about the green economy. From clean energy projects to advanced batteries, Michigan is ... Read more »
Republicans should not take new taxes off table in school funding debate
Posted: Feb 21, 2010In Ypsilanti, a number of hard-working parents have organized to save their schools as the district faces a huge deficit. In Ann Arbor, we will lose teachers, see program cuts, and have to privatize services ... Read more »
Concordia University Ann Arbor students stand to lose grant cash under Granholm proposal
Posted: Feb 14, 2010Officials from Concordia University Ann Arbor said they were shocked to hear of plans to end need-based tuition grants for private college students. The move proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm would save Michigan $30 million, ... Read more »
Cut the state budget? Let's start with the Legislature
Posted: Jan 31, 2010I just read the AP story in which Senator Mike Bishop proposes a constitutional amendment that would force local government workers to take a 5 percent pay cut and freeze pay at that level for ... Read more »
Texting is not the only thing to blame for bad driving habits
Posted: Jan 21, 2010Do you have both hands on the wheel at all times while driving? This is a question many folks often cannot answer yes to. In today’s fast paced society, we get wrapped up in things ... Read more »
Smoking ban is another blow to our freedom to make our own choices
Posted: Dec 27, 2009Hail, all hail, to the State. The State has banned smoking. Don’t you feel safer? The State has banned cancer. Don’t you feel healthier? You no longer live in a country where people choose their ... Read more »
Legislature should be saluted for passing workplace smoking ban
Posted: Dec 27, 2009We, as the leaders of Michigan’s major providers of health care, want to congratulate the Legislature for doing the right thing - passing a law to make workplaces smoke-free. It was imperative to get a ... Read more »
Michigan’s problems highlight need for new tax code
Posted: Nov 01, 2009The unbalanced state budget. Cuts to school funds. Statewide unemployment of 15 percent. The steady flow of residents leaving the state. A foreclosure rate rivaling only the speculator markets of Nevada, Florida, and the like. ... Read more »
Benefits of early childhood programs outweigh costs
Posted: Sep 12, 2009In less than 30 days a new state budget must be in place for the next fiscal year. The budget decisions facing the Legislature and administration are gut wrenching and boil down to matter of ... Read more »
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