The smoke is still clearing from the statewide legislative elections, but Michigan residents should not be surprised if Lansing provides a two-pronged response to the voter’s will: First: A flurry of activity on legislation in the “lame-duck” sessions of the Legislature scheduled through the end of 2012. Hot topics for action include changes to the […]
Rick Snyder
Posted inPeter Luke: Eye on the Capitol
Voters endorse a ‘simmer down’ approach to state’s challenges
By a 47-41 margin, respondents in Marketing Resource Group’s fall poll said Michigan was on the right track. The plus 6-point spread in the biannual survey was the largest recorded by the Lansing firm since March 2003, three months into Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s first term. Three months into Gov. Rick Snyder’s term in March 2010, […]
Posted inPhil's Column
Lessons for the day: Voters show wisdom; Snyder gains
It was a close election, one with many cross currents surging under the surface vote count. In the aftermath, everybody will be asking “who won and who lost?” More important is looking into what the wins and the losses really mean. I suggest these takeaways: * Michigan voters continue to be plenty sane and sensible. Despite $150 […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Ballot battles buried in cold, hard cash
A variety of special interests, including business and environmental groups, organized labor and — who can forget him — billionaire Manuel “Matty” Moroun have raised and spent more than $100 million in their attempts to either pass or defeat six proposals on Michigan’s November ballot. Campaign finance records through Oct. 26 show that ballot committees […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Final arguments on Proposal 6
Proposal 6 is a constitutional amendment to require a public vote before the state of Michigan could participate in an international bridge or tunnel project. The proposal is aimed at the Next International Trade Crossing, a bridge between Detroit and Windsor that will compete with Manuel Moroun’s Ambassador Bridge for freight and passenger traffic. For […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones” – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes. * Gov. Rick Snyder and michiganliberal.com are rarely on the […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Ballot props 'terrible,' 'devastating,' governor says
Gov. Rick Snyder is at the center of the debate in at least half of Michigan’s six ballot proposals this year. He pushed for – and signed – the 2011 rewrite of the emergency manager law that voters will approve reject Nov. 6 with Proposal 1. He pushed for – and signed – an agreement […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Genesis of Prop 2 found in Right to Work debate
For years, it was unthinkable that Michigan, the cradle of the labor movement, might ever become a Right to Work state. Union workers helped build the state, union power shaped its politics and the idea of severing the two would be like Georgia rejecting peaches. Things are different now. The battle over Proposal 2, which […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Proposal 5 seeks end to majority rule on taxes
The signal moment in the budget reform agenda of Gov. Rick Snyder came by a margin of one, as the state Senate voted 20-19 in May 2011 to approve a $1.7 billion tax cut for business and impose a variety of changes to Michigan’s personal income tax. Lt. Gov. Brian Calley cast a rare tie-breaking […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Film Office starts new year with more dollars, higher hopes
With a new fiscal year ahead, the Michigan Film Office is emerging from a “rebuilding year” with more money to give away and a mission to support locally grown filmmakers. After seeing the movie industry turn from red-hot to cold with the end of an open-ended 42 percent subsidy, Michigan has a new pool of money […]