Michigan Capitol Confidential

Unemployment Rate Dropping But 'Disturbing Trend' Developing as Food Assistance Skyrockets

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:30:00 -0500

By Tom Gantert | 2/11/2012

Although Michigan’s unemployment rate has been dropping lately, there’s a disturbing trend developing over the last decade.

One if five people in the state received food assistance from the state in 2011, up from 1 in 16 in 2001. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16445

Commentary: Bureaucrats vs. Parents — Who Should Choose Where Children Are Educated?

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:45:00 -0500

A glimpse into the public school establishment's mindset

By Michael Van Beek | 2/10/2012

recently at a House Education Committee hearing about expanding parental choice, Debbie Squires of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association let this slip (video below), "Educators go through education for a reason. They are the people who know best about how to serve children. That is not necessarily true about an individual resident. Not saying that they don't want the best for their children, but they may not know what actually is best from an education standpoint." http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16453

Elementary Students Forced to Write Advocacy Letters to Governor Criticizing Education Cuts

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:30:00 -0500

Parent: 'Don't bring politics into the school and use the kids as pawns'

By Tom Gantert | 2/10/2012

Third through fifth graders at an elementary school in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District were assigned this week by at least one teacher to write letters to Gov. Rick Snyder saying how unhappy they were with his budget cuts, the school district confirmed Thursday.

The students were told the best letters would be forwarded to the governor. One parent said that the teachers prepped the students with what the budget cuts entailed because some weren’t aware. Students were also asked to speak in front of their classmates about why they didn’t like the budget cuts. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16450

Commentary: Research Shows Right-to-Work Laws the Right Way to Go

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:29:00 -0500

By Michael D. LaFaive | 2/10/2012

The state of Indiana is now America’s 23rd right-to-work state. Michigan may need to adopt such a law to better compete for jobs and talent. Research shows that states with right-to-work laws arguably are better off economically. They have typically enjoyed higher rates of economic and population growth and lower unemployment rates. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16446

Public School Official Says Parents Don't "Necessarily" Know What School Is Best For Their Children

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Debbie Squires of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association speaks to the House Education Committee.

"Educators go through education for a reason. They are the people who know best about how to serve children. That is not necessarily true about an individual resident. Not saying that they don't want the best for their children, but they may not know what actually is best from an education standpoint." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zSyvbVq7G8

'Forced Unionization' Employer Out of the Picture, But Dues Keep Flowing To SEIU

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:30:00 -0500

Despite state officials' past certainty, some now unsure who actually 'employs' home health care workers

By Jack Spencer | 2/9/2012

Rep. Opsommer points out that his legislation wouldn't end MQC3 or its registry, just the illegal unionization.

“Not only should the dues be stopped, all of the providers should be given refunds,” he said. “Those dues are coming directly out of the hands of Alzheimer’s patients and autistic children, and we need to get it back to them.” http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16440

Commentary: Pete Hoekstra Ad Misses the Mark

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:29:00 -0500

Washington, not China, to blame for national debt

By Paul Kersey | 2/9/2012

In a new commercial for U.S. Senate candidate and former Congressman Pete Hoekstra, an actress portraying a youngish Chinese woman rides her bike up to the camera and thanks "Debbie Spend-It-Now" for putting America deeply into debt. The actress’s less-than-perfect syntax has drawn fire for playing on stereotypes. But the real problem is the half-baked economics that the ad promotes. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16434

Benefit Costs Sunk Benton Harbor's Finances

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:00 -0500

By Tom Gantert | 2/8/2012

Most union contracts don't last eight years. But in Benton Harbor they did and keeping a deal in place for eight years cost the city dearly.

Under that deal, Benton Harbor was giving raises as high as 15 percent to some of its employees and paying for 100 percent of health care premiums for all its employees. Also, employees contributed just 3 percent of their salary to their defined-benefit retirement plans. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16436

Commentary: Rep. Ray Franz — Hero of Home Repair Tradesmen

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:29:00 -0500

By Jack McHugh | 2/8/2012

Occasionally, a legislator does the right thing and deserves recognition. Based on a new bill to strike a blow against overly intrusive big government on behalf of the home repair tradesmen and entrepreneurs, Rep. Ray Franz, R-Onekama, is one of them. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16433

Rosy Solar Jobs Projections Fail To Live Up To the Hype

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:30:00 -0500

By Tom Gantert | 2/7/2012

In the final days of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s tenure, the state Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth trumpeted the success of green jobs created in the solar industry. “Total job creation projected of 21,592” the April 12, 2010, DELEG presentation claimed.

Almost two years later, the large majority of those jobs never saw the light of day. Even if they had come to fruition, they would just be a small part of the entire Michigan economy. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16425

The Unequal School Funding Myth

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:29:00 -0500

By Michael Van Beek | 2/7/2012

Public school special interests groups uniformly lobby for the state to give more money to school districts. To sell this idea to policymakers and taxpayers, these groups often claim that schools need "adequate," "stable," and "equal" funding. These talking points give rise to some common myths about school funding in Michigan. The short video below examines one of these myths: The Unequal Funding Myth. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16426

SEIU Sent Key GOP Senator $5K on Day Bill to End 'Forced Unionization' Arrived in Senate

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:30:00 -0500

Home health care unionization continues

By Jack Spencer | 2/6/2012

Michigan Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Roger Khan, R-Saginaw, received $5,000 from the Service Employees International Union on June, 9, 2011. That was the day House Bill 4003 was sent to the Senate, one day after its passage in the House.

HB 4003 was drafted to end the Home Healthcare Dues Skim, under which the SEIU has received more than $28 million http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16413

Analysis: School District Turns Down $270K Savings

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:29:00 -0500

By Kyle A. Jackson | 2/6/2012

Portage Public Schools had an odd reaction to some good financial news this week, telling a company that could save it $270,000 a year "no thanks." That offer came from Grand Rapids Building Services, a facilities cleaning contractor that proposed taking over the school district’s first shift custodial duties. http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16422