EMERGENCY ACTION: Legislators need to act quickly on Gov. Rick Snyder’s agenda to expand the Medicaid health program, argues Marianne Udow-Phillips of the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation. On Feb. 6, Gov. Rick Snyder announced his support for expanding Medicaid as envisioned in the Affordable Care Act. In his announcement, he talked about how […]
Guest Commentary
At Bridge, we believe in listening to voices from all over our state. Got something to say? Contact us and join the conversation (details below)
How to submit a Guest Commentary
What to know:
Bridge welcomes a diversity of voices and perspectives from readers on issues important to Michigan. Guest commentaries reflect the views of the author(s), and are independent of the nonpartisan, fact-driven reporting of Bridge’s newsroom staff.
Commentaries must be the author’s original work and preferably will not have appeared first in other publications. Bridge reserves the right to decline submissions at our discretion.
We reserve the right to edit commentary for grammar, clarity, brevity or to address legal or factual concerns. We may offer editing suggestions, but in the service of making your work more accessible, not to alter your views.
We do not pay for guest commentary.
Here are some guidelines:
- Columns are usually 500-700 words
- They generally focus on a Michigan topic or policy and should avoid ad hominem attacks
- The more direct, distinct and/or intimate your perspective, the more effective your column will be
- The best columns do more than identify problems; they also offer solutions and facts to back them up
- Please include a one- or two-sentence bio, including the writer’s organization or relevant background.
- Authors must show their work, by backing up facts with links to reports or studies
- Bridge does not publish self-promotional columns or candidate endorsements
- Send a good quality, large headshot of the writer(s) as an attachment
- We also ask that, in return for publishing a guest commentary, the author(s) and their organizations generously promote the link to the published column through your Facebook, Twitter and other social or professional networks.
That’s about it. Keep the writing clear, conversational and free of jargon, and sell our smart and receptive readership on the argument you are trying to make.
Who to contact:
Email your submission or idea to guestcommentary@bridgemi.com. Please briefly describe who you are and what you would like to say and put the words “guest commentary” in the email subject line.
Posted inGuest Commentary
More and more schools falling into budget squeeze
(courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) State Superintendent Mike Flanagan delivered troubling news to a legislative panel last week: –One in 10 traditional K-12 school districts in Michigan (55 of 549) are operating in a budget deficit. –The number of deficit districts has doubled since 2008, when only 27 were in the hole. Two charts […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: It’s past time to extend ‘exquisite beauty’ of early learning to all of our children
By Bob Sornson/Early Learning Foundation (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) Across our nation there is a growing debate. How much should we spend to support early childhood programs? How should we spend it? Why should we spend our money on other people’s kids? The debate is often poorly informed, but at least we […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Owosso’s budget woes are warning to state policy-makers
By Tom Cook Tom Cook is a member of the Owosso City Council and executive director of the Cook Family Foundation. The city of Owosso has a budget problem — and has had one for the last five years. Good management, tough policy decisions and sacrifices by residents and employees of the Shiawassee County community […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Will there ever be a good time to fund road repairs?
By Craig Thiel/Anderson Economic Group (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) A long-term funding fix to Michigan’s deteriorating road and bridge infrastructure system can’t seem to catch a break. For much of the last decade, Michigan’s anemic economic performance made the prospect of raising the necessary revenues to fund road and bridge investment a “non-starter” […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Early education funding is a win for kids, Michigan
By Jim McHale/W.K. Kellogg Foundation Over the past year, support for high-quality early childhood education programs has been gaining traction in Michigan. What began as a conversation has transformed into a movement consisting of lawmakers, parents, business leaders and communities working together to improve conditions for Michigan’s children. Jim McHale is vice president for program […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Michigan leaders recognize the wisdom of investing in preschoolers
By Debbie Dingell and Doug Luciani/Children’s Leadership Council of Michigan Debbie Dingell is president of d2 Strategies and a co-chair of the Children’s Leadership Council, a group of more than 100 business and other leaders from across Michigan. We tip our hats to Michigan’s governor and the Legislature for funding expansion of the state’s […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Policy-makers should skip Mackinac Island and visit some classrooms
By Ken Winter (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) PETOSKEY – I won’t be one of the 1,500 or so of Michigan’s top businessmen, politicians and other leaders converging for three days this week on Mackinac Island for the Mackinac Policy Conference. I cancelled my plans to attend so I could substitute for a local […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Time to lay down arms – and save money – in marijuana fight
By Rep. Jeff Irwin MAKING PEACE WITH MARY JANE: Marijuana, whether used medicinally or recreationally, is here to stay, writes Jeff Irwin. (Courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) The time has come for a more sensible approach to marijuana in Michigan. From a practical perspective, we know that marijuana prohibition is a failure. Michigan state […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: New revenue-sharing model shortchanges and infuriates municipalities
By David Lossing/Michigan Municipal League The Economic Vitality Incentive Program, a.k.a. EVIP, has been around for a couple of years now. EVIP is a program created by the state in 2011 to eliminate statutory revenue sharing and replace it with an “incentive” based program with only two-thirds of the previous funding. Under the program, local […]
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