Many Senators Refuse to Stand Against "Ineffective Teachers"
An investigative series by the Grand Rapids Press in late 2008 exposed the wrenching and expensive process that Michigan public schools must go through to dismiss even the most troublesome of tenured public school teachers. Though a new state law is supposed to make this easier, critics argue that all of the strict teacher tenure protections will remain in place and that these are a far greater impediment to getting the job done.
But another proposed reform that would have tackled the tenure problem head-on barely passed the Republican-controlled state Senate late last year, when even two GOP senators sided with the Democrat minority to oppose it. more …
Walled Lake Teacher Contract Analysis
The following is a detailed analysis of the current Walled Lake Consolidated Schools teacher contract. Of its $167 million operating budget, 87 percent is devoted to employee compensation. more …
Public Events: Two Free-Market Panels of Experts to Examine Green Jobs and Climate Change
As the science behind global warming theory comes under closer scrutiny due to the Climategate scandal, several events have been schedule to discuss this controversial issue. more …
Does Michigan Need a New Constitution?
Standing before a crowd of TEA party activists last month, a member of the audience asked State Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, whether a constitutional convention was a good thing.
“That is a very bad thing,” Bishop told the crowd. “Any time you open a window, all the flies can come in. There are a lot of flies out there now.” more …
Superintendent Pay, Teacher Pay, and School Spending Reform
Senate Bill 1148, introduced recently by Sen. Bruce Patterson, R-Canton, would limit the total compensation of public school superintendents to 75 percent of what the governor is paid and prohibit districts from paying any teacher more than what a state legislator makes. more …
Legal Experts See Few Constitutional Hurdles Currently Impeding Federal Health Care Takeover
A recurring topic on conservative talk radio shows has been that mandated health care is unconstitutional and could derail President Barack Obama’s health care reform. But three constitutional law experts say that scenario is unlikely. more …
Michigan’s GOP Congressional Team Scored Less 'Pro Growth' Than Party Peers in D.C. for 2008
Michigan’s congressional delegation performed significantly worse in 2008 than their national peers on a broad-based measure of economic growth polices as tabulated by the Club for Growth, a free-market advocacy group in Washington, D.C. more …
Tax Preparation
Preparation for tax day has taken on a new meaning for many Michigan residents.
Instead of collecting receipts, a group of West Michigan residents are getting signs together in anticipation of their April 15 tea party rally in Grand Rapids. more …
State Agency That Had Funds Cut by Legislature Says Future Looks Bright
Even as politicians questioned why a state agency is still operating despite having its funding eliminated by legislators, the Michigan Home Based Child Care Council said it has big plans for the future at its Friday board meeting. more …
A Saga of Forced Unionization
When Patrick Wright heard the story of Sherry Loar, the senior legal analyst for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy initially thought her story couldn’t possibly be true.
For 14-plus years, she had worked as an independent day care worker in Petoskey — and then she received a letter from the state saying that she was now a dues-paying union member. more …
Investors Denounced by President, State House Democrats and Ten House Republicans
When Chrysler filed for bankruptcy, the President publicly laid much of the blame at the feet of a group of hedge funds — investment firms that held Chrysler debt but did not initially cooperate with a deal being pushed by the White House as a means of preventing the bankruptcy. Those hedge funds had a far different story to tell... more …
Why the Legislature Should Oppose a State Employee Pay Hike
By SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MIKE BISHOP, R-ROCHESTER
"The harsh reality is we can't afford the government that we have, and as we sit here today, we continue in denial. The denial has reached a level that I have never, could never, predict. We are now at a point where we are looking at the perfect storm, and we are in the heart of the perfect storm." more …
Why a Democrat Voted Against a State Employee Pay Hike
By SEN. MICKEY SWITALSKI, D-ROSEVILLE
"At the other end of the spectrum, we have the negotiated 3 percent increase. In these times, with the state $1.6 billion deficit, it is hard to justify giving anyone an increase especially when wages are falling for so many of our constituents who pay the bills." more …
The Plain Language of the Law: Senate Fails to Reject Government Pay Hike
Excerpts from Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 35, which would have rejected a 3 percent state government employee pay hike for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2010:
Whereas, The additional cost of these state employee contractual increases to the fiscal year 2010-2011 budget is estimated to be $77.3 million; and... more …
Michigan Unemployment Payments May Fuel More Unemployment
Michigan has lead the nation in unemployment for 19 months. Experts fear this will put even more strain on Michigan businesses, slowing hiring even more. more …
Minority Rules: Most Members of Child Care Union Didn’t Vote Themselves In
A state representative called out a union lawyer for a gross exaggeration last month in an emerging controversy over just how many of the 70,000 home-based day care workers in Michigan knew they were being unionized.
more …Former N.M. Gov. Gary Johnson Explores Presidential Run
Former N.M. Gov. Gary Johnson was in Michigan last week to promote "Our America — The Gary Johnson Initiative." It's a public advocacy committee that states its goals are promoting civil liberties, free enterprise, limited government and "traditional American values." more …
"Larry the Liquidator" on Senate Bill 1174
2010 Senate Bill 1174 (Rewrite corporate takeover rules for particular insurance company) Introduced by Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom (R) on February 25, 2010, to rewrite the rules for corporate acquisitions so as to raise obstacles to the acquisition of a controlling interest in the Fremont Insurance Company (which is located in the district of the bill sponsor) by the Indianapolis-based Steak and Shake Corporation. more …
Troy Rally to 'Win Back Our Government'
On a day when the nearby Troy shopping malls were packed, Ruth Alderisio stood on a nearby sidewalk holding a sign urging the Democrats to take back their party from radicals.
more …School District Resources Used for Candidate Campaign Announcement
A Northville Public School official said the district will remove a link on its Internet home page that announced a school board member's run for the state's House of Representatives after being told by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy it may be in violation of the state campaign finance law. more …
Small Businesses vs. Big Governments
Before beginning a presentation that criticized state government for its excessive spending, Charlie Owens first had to take a jab at the federal government.
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