It’s just so damned easy to find money from sources without the resources to fight back, innit? Like college students: Michigan has removed about 30,000 college students from its food stamp program — close to double the initial estimate — saving about $75 million a year, says Human Services Director Maura Corrigan. Federal rules don’t allow most college students to […]

When Michigan Republicans passed the legislation that became Michigan Public Act 4 of 2011 or P.A. 4 or the “Emergency Manager Act” or “local government and school district fiscal accountability act” or, as I call it, the Financial Martial Law Act, they took a subtle step that few noticed. They changed the name of “Emergency Financial Manager” to simply “Emergency […]

State Senate Republican Shawn Hamerlinck made it clear yesterday that he has no use for the political opinions of students. After students representing each of Iowa’s state Universities testified before the Senate Education Appropriation Committee today to oppose severe budget cuts for higher education, Senator Shawn Hamerlinck of Dixon, ranking Republican on the committee, responded to the students’ testimony by […]

Oh, great. Rep. Bill Rogers, the guy who sponsored two bills to diminish, threaten and punish unionized teachers in Michigan is now heading up a group reform Michigan’s entire education system. State Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Genoa Township, is spearheading an education-reform work group he said will be “proactive instead of reactive” in pursuing changes to education funding and how students […]

It’s oh-so-much easier to get things done when you have both houses of the Legislature and the Governor’s office in your control. Today, Michigan Republicans showed just how much easier it is. Both the state House and Senate completed passage of the various packages of budgetary bills this week and, today, in a wham, bam, thank you, ma’am flurry of […]

UPDATED with some new photos. Several thousand people rally in front of Michigan’s Capitol building. A great turnout and LOTS of Snyder recall petitions being signed. There had to have been at least 5,000 people there. Maybe more. I was able to catch a bit of it. Here are some photos. Enjoy. Click the photo for a bigger version. Approaching […]

Michigan got some good news this week. LANSING — A healthier Michigan economy is churning more tax revenue than was expected and will produce a $429-million windfall for the state this fiscal year, economists agreed Monday. Another $234 million in extra revenue was predicted for 2012… That’s terrific, eh? I mean, honestly, fewer states could use it more than Michigan […]

To say things are bad for teachers in Michigan is tragic understatement. Layoff notices are being issued around the state (per union contracts) for the coming school year. The most significant was announced this week: Detroit Public School teachers union members get pink slips Detroit Public Schools administrators have mailed layoff notices to the 5,466 members of the teachers union […]