Just before reaching the stunning vista of Grand Traverse Bay, motorists driving into Traverse City on U.S. 31 pass an abandoned gas station that symbolizes one of Michigan’s most serious but undervalued environmental problems. The former Union 76 station at the corner of U.S. 31 and West Front Street sits atop a large plume of […]
Michigan Government
Citizens cannot do their job of running their government if they don’t know what their public servants are doing.
Posted inMichigan Government
Big job, little money: State lags in tank cleanup
Dale Flaherty said he and his friends in the resort town of Lake Ann used to joke that buying gasoline at the local convenience store was risky, because the fuel was allegedly contaminated with water. And they were right, sort of. Contamination did occur. No one knew until the late 1990s, though, that gasoline from the […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Fuel-tank cleanup leaves mess above ground, too
Michigan’s program for cleaning up leaking underground storage tank faces a major overhaul this year, one that could make cleanups simpler and less costly. But the planned changes, which are moving through the Legislature, won’t address one of the program’s biggest weaknesses: The program is grossly underfunded. Michigan spends $20 million annually cleaning up leaking […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Gov. Bill Milliken: Too good — and steely — to fail
By Craig Ruff William G. Milliken marked his 90th birthday on March 26. He became Michigan’s governor in 1969 when Gov. George Romney was appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. Milliken served as governor through 1982. During his tenure, Michigan moved to the forefront on a variety of reforms, among them passage of open meetings and […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Local govn'ts say union relations are fine
There’s been plenty of speculation about the prospects for, and motivation behind, Right Work legislation in Michigan. Why a big puswh on unionization rules since those rates have been dropping for years? And it can’t pass unnoticed that the Right to Work effort does not have the heads of Ford, Chrysler and General Motors standing at […]
Posted inMichigan Government
'Issues & Ale' tackles emergency manager law
Do you like beer? Do you care about state policy? Well, come enjoy both at the next “Issues & Ale” event in Flint next Monday (March 26). Co-sponsored by the Center for Michigan (Bridge’s parent organization) and Michigan Radio, “Issues & Ale” is a continuing series of public forums to illuminate key issues before […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Who's right on Right to Work?
The recent decision by Indiana to become the 23rd state (and first in the Great Lakes region) to enact a Right to Work law had Lansing buzzing this winter that Michigan may soon be the next. At least one legislator was preparing to push the idea and Gov. Rick Snyder, while downplaying the concept, did […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Two parties, lunchmeat and pants afire
Here’s the thing about the media: We’re not supposed to call people liars. We get quotes from both sides, even when we know the claptrap on one side of the issue is, as Gongwer News Service subtly suggested Wednesday, “what some might call a lie.” That story (subscription only), along with this from the Detroit […]
Posted inMichigan Government
That's your government. You can't look in there.
A legal battle over who will run the city of Flint has centered on the provisions of the rewrite of the state’s emergency manager law — PA4. But an alarming side note was sounded in the fight this week — an idea that could weaken public oversight of government statewide. According to Gongwer News Service […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Ex-city manager teaches emergency manager avoidance tips
When Ed Koryzno talks to officials in financially troubled communities, he can say to them with conviction, “Been there, done that.” Koryzno, hired earlier this year by the administration of Gov. Rick Snyder to help advise troubled communities, used to work through many of the same difficulties that financially troubled local governments are struggling to […]
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