Everyone wants to fix our schools. There’s only one problem: No one knows what works. A compilation of education research by the Education Writers Association comes to the conclusion that there really aren’t any solid conclusions about education reform. Teacher quality has been the political flavor this year in Michigan, with legislation aimed at weeding […]
Does education reform begin with teachers or parents?
Posted inBusiness Watch
'Shadow Tax Cut' deepens local budget crises
A $900 million cut in property tax revenues since 2007, the “Shadow Tax Cut,” has devastated the budgets of local governments that heavily rely on these taxes to provide police and fire protection — and a host of other services. They’ve laid off hundreds of firefighters, police officers and other employees; cut pay and benefits; […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Smaller communities buck tax loss trend
Dozens of cities, villages and townships — most of them small in population — have seen tax revenues actually rise over the past three years despite an overall revenue decline inMichigan. Those increases mainly have been a result of one or two new commercial projects that have sharply boosted property values in local taxing jurisdictions. […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
What was Shadow Tax Cut in your town?
In 2007, $14.25 billion in property taxes were collected by local governments in Michigan. By 2010, that figure had fallen to $13.37 billion. Adjusted for inflation, the drop exceeded $1.6 billion in only four years. This “Shadow Tax Cut” has had significant effects on local governments and on Michiganians’ tax bills, but the effects have […]
Posted inTalent & Education
School or lunch counter?
This handy map at the New York Times shows the percentage of schoolchildren eligible for free or reduced-price lunches at school by state in 2011. In Michigan, almost half the children are eligible — 45 percent. And, sadly, that’s a good figure, by national standards. Twenty-two states have a majority of schoolchildren qualified. In parts […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Longer ballot means less power for voters
Gov. Rick Snyder signed bills today to require that local school board elections be held in the November general election of even-numbered years. This long sought change to the school election calendar will, advocates say, save cash-strapped local districts at least $8 million over a two-year election cycle. Saving money for schools = good. It […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Another hurdle for local budgets
Coverage in Bridge this week focuses on the “Shadow Tax Cut” — a $1.6 billion drop in taxes due to the huge decline in property values across the state. This tax drop has eased the bills for many taxpayers, but it, of course, has meant less money for local governments that rely heavily on property […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
$1.6 billion shaved off Michigan property tax bills
Thousands of Michigan home and business owners have been the recipients of hundreds of millions of dollars in property tax cuts in recent years — a savings that few seem to recognize. Property owners in the state as a whole have seen property taxes fall nearly $900 million between 2007 and 2010. Adjusted for inflation, […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Despite $300 million reduction, businesses seek relief
Michigan businesses, which have already won a $1.6 billion business tax cut, are pushing hard to repeal the state’s personal property tax on machinery, computers and other equipment. But they don’t talk much about, or even recognize, the $324 million tax cut they’ve received since 2007, the result of falling property values and lower tax […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
On the block: Taxes in Lansing, Troy, Wyoming
Three residential blocks in three different Michigan communities show how the massive decline in property values and the resulting “Shadow Tax Cut” rolled across the state. Bridge looked at residential blocks in two suburbs (Troy and Wyoming) and the capital city to judge how the cut played out for individual homeowners. The figures presented below […]
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