A 5-year-old child born to a mother who has exceeded 48 months on cash assistance was being reared in destitution before the state yanked $5,000 in annual welfare benefits. A 75-year-old residing in a nursing home, meanwhile, receives $80,000 in Medicaid-funded care. Not that future fiscal choices should favor the young at the expense of the old, […]
Hey Grandpa, how about a little help?
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side” — James A. Baldwin, American author. * OK, so it’s not “Jurassic Park” and velociraptors, but it’s still cool: A Northern Michigan man is cloning trees — and not just any trees: http://www.michiganradio.org/post/northern-michigan-man-clones-ancient-trees * CNN created a […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Snyder administration cleaning up state rulebook
The state has too many regulations and it costs too much to comply with them. That has long been a mantra of business groups. Now Gov. Rick Snyder has adopted the approach for state government as well. His Office of Regulatory Reinvention has been given the daunting task of sifting through all of the several […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
When a license plate just isn't enough
One person’s infuriating government regulation is another’s measure to protect public health and safety. That philosophical split plays out every day in how Michigan is enforcing regulations on commercial motor vehicles. In recent years, farmers and small businesses that rely on pick-up trucks to haul equipment, supplies and inventories have chafed at the Michigan State […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan has its own apprentice drama
A fight is likely coming soon at the Capitol over how many fully qualified electricians must be present during electrical work when apprentices also are on hand. In 2008, the state began enforcing a requirement in its basic law governing the electrical industry, the Electrical Administrative Act, mandating that one fully qualified electrician be present […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Report: Charters spend less in classrooms
Michigan charter schools spend $1,141 less per student on instruction than traditional public schools, and $774 more per pupil on administration, according to a newly released study by professors at Michigan State Universityand the University of Utah. The study examines spending data for all charter schools and public school districts in the state, and attempts […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice” — Anton Chekhov, 19th century Russian playwright. * It’s high season for complaining about taxes. But have you ever wondered exactly how Michigan’s tax system operates. The inestimable Citizens Research Council of Michigan does an annual overview of the state tax system. The latest […]
Posted inPhil's Column
Political turmoil threatens to close gateway to jobs
The idea: Transform Michigan into theMidwest’s premier inland port and transportation hub, uniquely linking air, sea, rail and road capabilities. Create a new industry — a Great Lakes Global Gateway — forged from our existing manufacturing and agricultural sectors. The vision: Take advantage of our geography and infrastructure to become the lowest-cost transportation center for […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Knowing is half the battle
Bridge Magazine’s prime focus is to provide top-flight, in-depth journalism on key state issues. But what happens if you produce a top-flight story and few hear about it? That’s why Bridge is committed to working with allies in the news media to amplify coverage — and to getting the message out about what’s happening at bridgemi.com. Last […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Lightening the lead foot
I don’t know what it is with me and paying for energy, but whatever it is, I inherited it from my father. Growing up, my friends referred to our chilly winter house as “the meat locker” and knew that just because the house looked dark when they pulled into the driveway, it didn’t mean we […]