Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s economic plan would also direct money to help parents offset childcare expenses and enable businesses to cover operational costs. She must negotiate the plan with a GOP-majority legislature.
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán is a former capitol reporter for Bridge Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Government
Dems, GOP feud over fixing Michigan Secretary of State appointment backlog
Democrats want to spend $25 million to hire more staff. Republicans don’t want to fork over more money until the state allows walk-in service again.
Posted inMichigan Government
GOP to governor: Tell us when you leave Michigan. Whitmer: Stop wasting time.
Republicans in the Senate pass a bill to require the governor to inform legislative leaders when she leaves Michigan. That’s a security risk, state police say.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan GOP advances voter ID mandate: common sense or a new poll tax?
Supporters say you need an ID to buy beer so you should need one to vote. Foes say eliminating an option allowing voters without ID to still cast ballots amounts to an illegal fee. The courts may decide.
Posted inMichigan Government
How a secret group of lawyers influences who sits on Michigan’s federal courts
Michigan has two vacancies for the federal courts, and activists say Hispanics have been shut out of judgeships by a confidential group used to vet candidates by Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters.
Posted inMichigan Government
Jocelyn Benson defends appointment-only plan at Secretary of State offices
Benson’s legislative testimony Tuesday followed criticism from Republicans and from some members of the public who waited months to get an advanced in-person appointment at SOS branch offices.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer campaign, not shadow nonprofit, now paying for Florida flight
With the FAA probing the legality of a nonprofit payment for Whitmer’s March flight to Florida, the governor’s campaign announced Thursday that it will pay for the flight instead. It also revealed the governor’s daughters flew on the return flight.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer’s latest flap: breaking her own Michigan rules about indoor dining
The governor’s weekend visit to an East Lansing bar is the second incident in five weeks that critics say fly in the face of policies meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Government
Federal aid helps bring added $3.5 billion surplus to Michigan
Despite state officials expressing optimism about the latest numbers, Eric Bussis, the chief economist at the Michigan Department of Treasury warned that some factors could still derail the projected revenues.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan GOP would allow video of vote counts. Critics call that intimidation.
Republicans want to increase confidence in elections by allowing partisans to take video and broadcast vote counting. Some fear that make it impossible to work — and could expose private information.