The Institute for Justice, which describes itself as the “nation’s only libertarian public interest law firm, has published a new study on the burden of licensing requirements for 102 different professions across the United States. The report also developed a “burden” ranking of the states — and placed Michigan at No. 21, the 21st most […]
Snyder
Posted inMichigan Government
'Flagrant foul' on Moroun
Another arm of the burgeoning Center for Michigan empire — the Michigan Truth Squad — today issued a “flagrant foul” against a TV ad paid for by the Detroit International Bridge Co. against the proposal to build a joint Canada-Michigan crossing between Detroit and Windsor. “This is the third ad from DIBC to blatantly stretch […]
Posted inMichigan Government
11,000 Michigan families confront the unknown
The roles Sharon Matthews has fielded so far are hardly the stuff of cakewalks: high school dropout; single mom; gunshot victim. But her toughest role yet begins next month: Guinea pig. The 41-year-old Detroit resident and her 15-year-old daughter are among the 11,000 Michigan families banned from welfare, as the state of Michigan begins to […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Agriculture's growth real, but not the stuff of myth
Late last winter, Gov. Rick Snyder officially dubbed March 17, 2011, as Michigan Agriculture Day. The proclamation lauds the industry as “the source of virtually everything we eat each day,” and says it plays a “key role in the growth and reinvention of Michigan’s economy.” It’s one of the ways that Snyder has singled out […]
Posted inPhil's Column
Voters shut out on redistricting
(Originally published June 29, 2011) Every decade, the law requires every state to redraw every legislative and congressional district to reflect changes in population discovered by the Census. The cycle’s process is about at its end, with maps for both Congress and Michigan’s Senate and House districts now being rushed through the Legislature before its […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Snyder’s claim fans college readiness debate
Gov. Rick Snyder has made a blunt claim about Michigan’s schools in 2011: Few of their graduates are actually ready for college work. This spring, Snyder said only 16 percent of the state’s 2010 high school graduates were college ready and that 238 schools had zero — 0 — college-ready students based on ACT benchmarks. […]
Posted inQuality of Life
Expert: Just stop getting fatter
In anticipation of Gov. Rick Snyder’s special message on health and wellness in September, Bridge Magazine spoke with Dee Edington, one of the nation’s top experts on designing workplace wellness plans.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Billion-dollar bust?
(Originally published Aug. 10, 2011) A 15-year-long effort to spur jobs and vitality in some of the state’s most economically depressed areas by turning them into virtual tax-free zones — and thereby forgoing about $1 billion in tax collections — is being curtailed by Gov. Rick Snyder. Citing disappointing results in Renaissance Zones, the Snyder […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Why Snyder's government reform plan may sound familiar
(Originally published March 22, 2011) Gov. Rick Snyder’s speech Monday aimed at reinventing local government actually reinvented (or at least reiterated) numerous reform ideas offered in recent years by the Center for Michigan and other public interest groups. Examples: • Intensifying local government consolidation and service sharing was a key recommendation of the Center’s citizens’ […]
Posted inChildren & Families
Early childhood funds in tug of war
(Originally published April 14, 2011) In last year’s gubernatorial campaign, candidate Rick Snyder touted the importance of pre-school education and outlined a vision of integrated P-20 education from birth through graduate school. This year, Michigan early childhood advocates were pleased to see the new governor demonstrate his support with a fiscal 2012 budget proposal that […]
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