LANSING - Former U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz will lead the charge for Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder's bid to attract Democrats and independents into the Republican primary to back his bid for the GOP nomination. Dubbed "Common Sense for Michigan," Snyder's campaign called the move "an unprecedented grassroots effort reaching voters who have not
LANSING - Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder made his 2007 and 2008 tax returns public on Friday, proving that as expected he's got some serious money in the bank, but doesn't have the massive wealth of 2006 GOP nominee Dick DeVos. Snyder, who dumped $2.7 million into his campaign early on, continues the trend of
LANSING - House Speaker Andy Dillon's call for a single health insurance pool for all government employees made headlines last July, but in the 12 months since then, questions about how much such a plan would save have overcome efforts to move the proposal forward. Besides the annual budget, there has been no single piece
LANSING - A petition to allow Michigan residents to opt out of new federal health care requirements will not see the ballot in November because supporters did not have time or money to collect the needed signatures, supporters said. Critics of the petition drive said the failure reflected the lack of support for the plan.
LANSING - In announcing a number of new corporate projects that she said would bring or retain more than 10,800 jobs to the state, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said the state can hope that it is finally starting to emerge from the long economic downturn that has plagued it like no other state. Speaking to the
LANSING - Wayne County officials say they are hoping the Michigan Senate will act soon on legislation designed to create big tax incentives to lure development near some of the state's major assets, bills they want to help launch the so-called aerotropolis around Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The bills (SB 1079 , SB 1080 , SB
LANSING - More money is forecast for Michigan's School Aid Fund, but lower collections in the Michigan Business Tax presage continuing troubles in the general fund, Senate Fiscal Agency Executive Director Gary Olson told the Senate Appropriations Committee. The state and federal economy is growing after the major recession that hit in 2009, Olson said
LANSING - An audit heavily critical of the state's main economic development program has actually helped the Michigan Economic Development Corporation as it's been revising its own audit procedures, MEDC CEO Greg Main told a House panel Wednesday, even though the audit has resulted in some "adverse publicity" for the state. Main told the House
LANSING - After weeks of work on legislation designed to prompt the early retirement of thousands of public school employees, it appears Michigan lawmakers finally have reached the critical decision-making point. Late Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Jud Gilbert (R-Algonac), the chief Senate negotiator on the bill, made a final offer to the top House negotiator, Rep.
LANSING - After audit findings last month that the Michigan Economic Growth Authority was not necessarily ensuring credits were being given for promised job numbers or wages, the Senate Finance Committee told auditors it would be seeking a follow-up audit to be sure recommended changes were implemented. And auditors said the request would be added