I’m just going to throw this together real quick and then proceed with my life for a while. Sounds crazy, but I really do have one. Sub only MIRS is reporting that, Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the administration worked with Dillon’s team to reach compromises with some Republican members. Among those things allegedly offered were judgeships, no-contest elections and more money for schoo...

So you may have seen Leon Drolet’s pink pig come through Shiawassee? Leon & co. are threatening to recall Dick Ball (yeah, right) for supporting a tax increase. Well, subscription only Gongwer is giving us some more insight into Leon’s thinking, as to how we can balance the budget without raising taxes: Mr. Drolet responded that he’d use the tax cuts recommended by the ...

Bumped, for the folks who were out of town last week The 1970’s were hard on Michigan … an energy crisis, a sagging auto industry, growing unemployment, rising crime, and a decline in federal-aid programs. 1975-1976 were especially tough years for the Spaniola family. It was Francis R ‘Bus’ Spaniola’s first term as a State House Representative, and as luck would ha...

Note: I haven’t written on the budget compromise because it’s a compromise based on lies and cowardice, and I can’t find anything nice to say. It’s silly to believe the Republican ‘promise’ to raise taxes later … they’re the ones who defunded our government in the first place. Didn’t they ‘promise’ to replace the SBT too? It&#...

I see that Owosso Public Schools cut about a dozen employees, to save about $1,212,965 for the 2007-2008 school year. I’m guessing the savings to the school district isn’t just a matter of salaries. Let’s figure that 35% of that savings is in benefits. Where’s that get us? About $788,427.25 in wages lost to our local economy. Awesome. Feeling good about that $75 per...

Rant on. Why are we still talking about this? Raise taxes. Create a service tax. Raise the income tax. Raise the sales tax. Pick something and do it. Senate Republicans have put so much effort and PR into their anti-tax jihad against Michigan and Democrats, that they won’t be able to compromise and find a solution, without breaking promises to the 23% who still support them. Bishop has in...

This post isn’t for just anyone. This is for those of you who are afraid to pay taxes. This is for the 23% of you who think Michigan can weasel its way out of crisis without raising taxes. State workers are looking at 20 mandatory layoff days per year. These days are not sequential, because 20 sequential days would require unemployment compensation. No, these are once per pay period, and...

Well the Democrats have finally come up with something that I can’t explain, defend, spin, or swallow. I have a friend who specializes in educational technology. Maybe she can explain it to me. ...

The Medicaid funded Home Help Program is Michigan’s largest in home services system. Its mission: to help low-income senior citizens and adults living with disabilities with enough stay in their homes. The cuts proposed by the Senate Republicans would slash this program by rolling back hourly wages and reducing services. There are over 200 Home Care workers and over 220 recipients of the ...

Here’s what the Republican Senate passed last night … Click the image for a bigger picture The cuts total $165,351. In terms of total dollars, the City of Owosso takes the biggest hit, at a loss of over $78,000. Durand, Corunna, Perry, and Laingsburg follow, with a combined loss of over $54,000. In terms of percentage, our five cities join six of our villages in a 4.4% cut. The ...

In case there’s any confusion as to whether we need to fund domestic programs … Domestic deaths soar Fatalities from abuse jump 74% in Michigan Kim Kozlowski / The Detroit News ECONOMY? What’s the CAUSE that people suspect? Domestic violence deaths have risen dramatically in Michigan , prompting state advocates to call for more money and better protection for the victims of abus...

cross posted at the forums As most of you know, Michigan faces a serious budget problem. Our only tools to solve this problem are spending cuts and revenue increases. Since we have privatized pretty much everything that ever made us a profit (liquor control, for example), we have to get our revenue in the form of taxes or fees. The Republican Senate opposes any kind of tax increase, saying instead...

Check out this article in the Jackson Citizen Patriot. Specifically, check out this paragraph (emphasis mine): ” While the ranks of state employees have been pared back in recent years, the benefits of school employees in particular have not been changed. Funding pension and health-care benefits for school employees has become so costly that nearly all of this year’s promised $200 per...

Yesterday I wrote a bit on the proposed cuts to the guaranteed benefits system that our state legislators are pumped into, after only 5 years, 9 months of service. Here’s another good look at the issue … Free insurance for life? Legislator perk on table. I’m tempted to slam the GOP for not getting on board … The health-care proposal is part of an overall plan to cut $3 mil...

House Democrats want to trim lawmakers’ lifetime health care Legislators are finally doing something about the fact that Michigan has one of the most expensive state governments in the country. This is good news! It’s ridiculous that lawmakers get guaranteed lifetime benefits after serving only 6 years in government. (Actually, they get the benefits after serving 5 years and 9 month...