Michigan is one of 24 states where the public can pass judgment on the work of their elected representatives via the power of referendum. But just as Superman’s foes found kryptonite could neutralize him, Michigan legislators have found their way to neutralize the referendum. The majorities backing Right to Work legislation included a $1 million […]
Bridge Staff
Bridge’s mission is to inform Michigan citizens about their state, amplify their views and explore the challenges of our civic life.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Right to Work bills won't touch State Police
Thousands of union workers converged on Lansing Tuesday to protest the passage of Right to Work legislation. They stood on a Capitol grounds well-populated with Michigan State Police troopers – troopers who, ironically, are not only unionized themselves, but insulated from the current debate due to a constitutional provision. A spokesman for MSP declined Tuesday […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Right to Work bills revamp how courts handle challenges to them
In September, an Ingham County Circuit Court judge ruled against a state law backed by Gov. Rick Snyder and the Republican legislative majority to require state employees to make an additional payment to their pension plan. It’s not the first time that an Ingham County judge has ruled against the state as part of that […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: NY Times flubs Mich. tax breaks
By Tim Bartik/ W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research Louise Story, an investigative reporter for The New York Times, recently wrote a three-part series on state business incentives. The series was accompanied by a new database, which reports annual dollar figures for business incentives for each state. This database reports that Michigan’s business incentives total […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Oakland County school helps students thrive in IB curriculum
By Joan Stelzer More than 300 Oakland County high school seniors at the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills recently passed a key milestone when their 4,000-word essays electronically flew to evaluators around the world. Taking six months to research and write, each extended essay was an investigation into a topic never before published. It is […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Truth Squad calls tech foul on pro-RTW ads
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: Pro-Right to Work ads Who: Michigan Freedom Fund What: Radio and TV ad Truth Squad call: Technical foul The debate over Right to Work legislation has spilled out from the State Capitol and onto the state’s airwaves. Michigan Freedom Fund is backing both TV and radio ads supporting passage of RTW. […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Congress poised to play 'Scrooge' on food aid to needy Michigan families
By Terri Stangl/Center for Civil Justice With Thanksgiving behind us, people throughout the country are caught up in the mad rush to discover the perfect treasures for their loved ones at the most discounted prices. But deep discounts don’t matter to those who have so little they can’t even buy food. And that’s the case […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Schools need help to better support and evaluate teachers
By Amber Arellano/Education Trust-Midwest Students in Michigan are increasingly falling behind their peers in other states, including states that are making major investments in their teachers. Michigan, meanwhile, has struggled to develop its teachers. A report by my organization, the nonprofit Education Trust-Midwest, helps to explain why: Our local school districts and charter schools have […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Choice proposal bets on market forces
By Brendan Walsh The Oxford Foundation’s proposal on school choice made landfall last week full of sound and fury – and igniting a bit more. But what does it truly signify? It delivers “student choice” in spades and that has the education reform movement rejoicing. Reaction from the incumbent establishment was predictable. “The deeply flawed […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: No time to wait on renewable energy
By Jim Dulzo/Michigan Land Use Institute The ruckus over renewables isn’t over: Proposal 3’s advocates sound even more determined to boost renewables goals beyond their current “10 percent by 2015” target and make Michigan a jobs-rich, global, renewables manufacturing leader. “This is not the end, it is the beginning,” said Diane Byrum, of Byrum Fisk, […]
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