Peter Luke was a Lansing correspondent for Booth Newspapers for nearly 25 years, writing a weekly column for most of that time with a concentration on budget, tax and economic development policy issues. He is a graduate of Central Michigan University. A governor working in a politically divided government often has no choice but to […]
Peter Luke
A guest author for Bridge Magazine.
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
What does Michigan have to do to get a little love?
Gov. Rick Snyder has spared no effort in making Michigan “business-friendly,” but the message has been slow to spread. So Michigan cuts business taxes by $2.4 billion, stages a political war (because that’s apparently what’s been lacking) that favors business over labor, more than balances the state budget and finally takes ownership of arguably its […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Pursuit of auto coverage cap insures problems for legislators
If you and your family are in a major auto accident, do you care what the hospital billed the auto insurer for your child’s neurosurgery? Peter Luke was a Lansing correspondent for Booth Newspapers for nearly 25 years, writing a weekly column for most of that time with a concentration on budget, tax and economic […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Worldview embodied by Agema, Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban headed for history’s trash heap
Peter Luke was a Lansing correspondent for Booth Newspapers for nearly 25 years, writing a weekly column for most of that time with a concentration on budget, tax and economic development policy issues. He is a graduate of Central Michigan University. The ravings on Dave Agema’s Facebook page only seek to justify discrimination, a losing […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Legislative Republicans worry more about ’14 primaries than in helping Snyder lead
Peter Luke was a Lansing correspondent for Booth Newspapers for nearly 25 years, writing a weekly column for most of that time with a concentration on budget, tax and economic development policy issues. He is a graduate of Central Michigan University. When they hit the House floor for a vote this month, it appears doubtful […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Detroit has to diet to survive
Kevyn Orr has plenty of numbers he has to confront in his new role as emergency manager of Detroit. One of the more critical ones, though, may not have his immediate attention. As of the 2010 Census, which is already outdated given facts on the ground that change daily, Detroit had 269,445 occupied housing units […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Snyder better find his deal-making hat
Worried about an increase in gas taxes or vehicle registration fees? Calm yourself. A poll last week by North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling showed only 27 percent of those surveyed had a positive opinion of the 85 Republicans who serve in the Michigan Legislature, with 56 percent holding a negative opinion. Not good. Democrats in […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Snyder needs to tutor legislative Republicans on the realities of math
$52 million (Estimated net fiscal year 2023 cost of expanding Medicaid in Michigan, per the federal Affordable Care Act. The expansion would, by that date, cover more than 600,000 single adults and reduce the ranks of the uninsured in Michigan by two-thirds.) $233 million (Estimated net fiscal year 2023 cost of a Senate-passed bill, long […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Analysis: Political reality may flatten Snyder's tires
Let’s just say that when Gov. Rick Snyder made his most robust case yet for boosting the annual budget for fixing Michigan’s highways last week, no one on the Senate or House Appropriations committees asked what might be the most appropriate question: “Why only $1.2 billion?” Actually, a plan that raises the gas tax and […]
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Politicians talk about school funding, but numbers show failure of effort
Just how broken education spending in Michigan is will once again be on display when Gov. Rick Snyder next week unveils his budget for the 2014 fiscal year on Feb. 7. The school aid budget has for years now illustrated the failure — either through neglect or design — to maintain what once was an […]
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