Politics

Michigan Technology related politics

Michigan House Leaning Toward Sales, Use Tax Exemptions For Data Centers

LANSING - The Michigan House is "still talking" about legislation that would exempt data centers from sales, use and personal property taxes, but a spokesperson for House Republicans said the chamber is likely to leave the property tax exemption behind. With only one week of session left in the year, the House has to pass

By |2015-12-11T10:23:00-05:00December 11th, 2015|Politics|

Study Shows Michigan Legislative Older, More Male And White Than Population

LANSING - Michigan's legislators tend to be older and more predominately male and white than the state's general population, a study by the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Pew Charitable Trusts said. And legislators are far better educated than the general public, with at least 75 percent having a bachelor's degree or higher

By |2015-12-11T10:23:00-05:00December 11th, 2015|Politics|

Cyber Squadron Assigned To Battle Creek Air National Guard Base

BATTLE CREEK - The Battle Creek Air National Guard base will see 70 new jobs with the assignment of a cyber operations squadron to the base. Battle Creek will house one of the four new squadrons intended to defend the nation against computer-based attacks. The base has housed a cyber range hub, part of the

By |2015-12-11T08:25:16-05:00December 10th, 2015|Cyber Defense, Featured, Politics|

Michigan House Continues Work On Switch Tax Bills

LANSING - The Michigan House continues to work with its members to get the votes needed to pass legislation that would provide sales, use and property tax exemptions for data centers in the state, something inspired by Switch, a Nevada-based center looking to move into West Michigan. The House Tax Policy Committee on Wednesday reported

By |2015-12-10T12:58:38-05:00December 10th, 2015|Featured, News, Politics|

Michigan House Eliminates Straight-Ticket Voting, Adds Secure No-Reason Absentee

LANSING - The Michigan House narrowly approved a bill to eliminate straight-ticket voting Wednesday and also cleared legislation establishing "secure" no-reason absentee voting with Democrats mostly in staunch opposition to both during a long and contentious session. Seven hours passed with the House mostly at a standstill before it finally took up SB 13 to

By |2015-12-10T12:58:38-05:00December 10th, 2015|Politics|

Few Position Changes As Air Rules Head To Final Revisions

LANSING - Industry and environmental groups remained split on new air emissions rules based on their comments Monday at a public hearing on the changes. The rules, developed as a result of Governor Rick Snyder's rules advisory committee process to comb through the state's regulations, would reduce the number of chemicals required to be regulated

By |2015-12-07T21:47:57-05:00December 7th, 2015|Clean Update, Politics|

Michigan House Speaker: Bills To Provide Hundreds Of Millions In Tax Credits To Woo $5 Billion Data Center Could See Some Changes

LANSING - While changes to legislation providing tax exemptions for date centers - like Nevada-based Switch, that would like to come to the state if the tax changes are passed - weren't expected by the committee chair, Michigan House Speaker Kevin Cotter said after a lengthy caucus on the subject, the bills could see some

By |2015-12-05T09:12:25-05:00December 5th, 2015|Featured, Politics|

Michigan Senate Passes Aviation Fuel Tax Increase To Fund Airport Maintenance

LANSING - Airports in the state would receive state funding to help with repair and maintenance costs under legislation approved by the Senate on Thursday. The bills (SB 418, SB 425, SB 426, SB 612, SB 613 and SB 614) would dedicate 2 percent of the sales tax on aviation fuel with to aviation purposes

By |2015-12-04T08:20:58-05:00December 4th, 2015|Politics|

$5 Billion Switch Data Center Gets Tax Breaks In Michigan Senate Amid Conservative Cries Of Foul

LANSING - Although the agreement on just how much of a sales/use tax exemption colocation centers such as Switch, a company out of Nevada looking to expand in Michigan, should receive varied from Thursday morning to Thursday afternoon, the Senate ultimately decided to allow such entities to receive the full extent of an exemption on

By |2015-12-04T08:22:11-05:00December 4th, 2015|Featured, Politics|

$5 Billion Switch Data Center Tax Exemptions Get Airing In Michigan Legislature

LANSING - Michigan would see at least 1,000 new jobs, a more diversified economy and a level playing field encouraging data centers to invest in the state if exemptions for certain personal property from sales, use and property taxes are passed by the Legislature, a representative of Switch, a company looking to create its eastern

By |2015-12-02T06:59:24-05:00December 2nd, 2015|Featured, Politics|