LANSING - A day after Gov. Jennifer Granholm outlined her proposed 2009-10 budget two contrasting events demonstrated the odd duality of the document: on the one hand Congress began action on the final version of the stimulus plan which could flood the state with money and a top university warned of significant negative effects if
LANSING - Economic development efforts for many years focused on bringing in new business: providing the tax incentives or the site, or both, for the new plant. But two separate presentations Wednesday said that focus on jobs could be misplaced in the new economy. "Is it jobs first or quality of life first?" said Rep.
LANSING - A package of bills that would require state contracts and economic development efforts to focus hiring on Michigan residents went to the full House after being reported on a largely bi-partisan basis from the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday. The panel's six Republicans voted against reporting the main bills in the 12-bill package,
LANSING - The 22 percent surcharge on the Michigan Business Tax would be eliminated in two years under a bill reported on a 4-3 straight party line vote by the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday. SB 1 could see action by the full Senate yet this week, as it is a top priority of Senate Majority
LANSING - Michigan, and the other 49 states, are moving into the 10th year of the master settlement agreement that allocates money from the nation's tobacco companies to help states cover some of the costs of tobacco-related illness. And there is still a push in Michigan to have more of those funds go to tobacco-related
LANSING - Legislation to prohibit the Granholm administration from promulgating rules creating mandatory ergonomics standards and training requirements could come up before the full Senate as early as this week after the Senate Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee reported the bill Tuesday. As reported, the legislation (SB 93 ) would allow the Department of
LANSING - A coalition of five business-related organizations have jointly called on Michigan to make major budget reforms in the 2009-10 fiscal year that they say could save the state's coffers as much as $1.5 billion. "Michigan needs a comprehensive, long-range plan to put the state on a fiscally responsible track. It's going to take
LANSING - Legislation paving the way for expansion of Cobo Center in Detroit, in an effort to improve the facility and maintain the North American International Auto Show there, was signed into law by Governor Jennifer Granholm on Friday. "The Cobo expansion not only marks a new chapter for one of Detroit's iconic meeting places,
LANSING - Governor Jennifer Granholm is apparently beginning the process of a massive overhaul of state government to "transform" it so government is more flexible and responsive to new economic realities, sources have said. She may make the restructuring announcement part of her State of the State address on February 3. While details are sketchy,
LANSING - Significant cuts are in the offing for the Michigan 2009-10 budget, Governor Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday, and nothing is off the table in terms of resolving the fiscal plan including cuts to K-12 school aid and consolidating departments. No cuts to school funding should be needed for the remainder of the 2008-09 fiscal