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Mackinac Center Blog

Supposed Benefits of Pension Obligation Bonds Sink With Market

Michigan legislators who might consider borrowing billions to prop up government employee pension and post-retirement health care benefits should first look at recent developments in California. That state's massive state pension system, CalPERS, may lower its expectations for investment returns. According to the Wall Street Journal, it is considering a drop in its return expectations from 7.75 percent to as low as 5 or 6 percent.

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Nicely Played, MEA!

The MEA gave up nothing in the "Race to the Top" deal. They made no concessions in terms of teacher compensation or performance. They may — depending on just how the law is interpreted — have made privatization, which has saved school districts and taxpayers across the state millions of dollars a subject of collective bargaining again. Oh, and the state hasn’t gotten a nickel in federal funds so far.

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League of Women Voters' Stance on Energy Policy Hurts Women

Energy policy that makes it more expensive for developing countries to provide electricity to their citizens only leads to more human suffering and premature death.

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Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Director to Testify Today on Bills to Prohibit Stealth Unionization of Small-Business Owners

Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Director Patrick J. Wright will testify today before the Senate Families and Human Services Committee on proposed legislation to end the forced unionization of home-based day care owners and prohibit any stealth attempts to unionize contractors involved in home health care services. The committee will consider Senate Bills 1173, 1178 and 1179 at 2:30 p.m. in Room 210 of the Farnum Building.

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State Employee Pay Raise Could Cost Them Jobs

Arguing against a 3 percent pay hike for state employees is actually an argument in support of saving their jobs, according to an Op-Ed in The Michigan Daily.

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Spotlight Picks

Michigan Education Digest

Service tax, Teamsters, new high schools.

Cadillac Insurance
vs. Healthy Schools

Michigan districts struggle to make payments on employee health insurance that is luxury-class.

Know When to Fold ’Em

RUSS HARDING: The governor’s "green energy" policies are a risky bet with taxpayers' money.

Legislature Zeroes Budget, MHBCCC Somehow Lingers

State executive agencies fail to respond to queries concerning the source of the MHBCCC's funding.

Center's Michael LaFaive Decries Governor's Tax Hike Proposals

The total proposed spending for next year is $2.1 billion higher than in the current fiscal year’s budget.

Stossel Covers Day Care Story


More about day care unionization ...

'This Is Shocking'

Rush Limbaugh discusses day care story.

News Release: Michael Moore's Anti-Greed Film Subsidized by Taxpayers

Moore now benefits from a program he once seemed to criticize.

News Release: Court Decision Undermines FOIA

Court of Appeals ruling regarding e-mails decreases transparency.

The Overton Window

An explanation of the influential idea developed by late Mackinac Center Vice President Joseph Overton and popularized by Fox News' Glenn Beck.

News Release: Insurance Data Online

Health insurance data for school employees now available.

News Release: MSP Misses FOIA Deadlines

The Michigan State Police has missed the legal deadlines on two FOIA requests from the Center about how public monies are spent.