http://www.mackinac.org/features/rss/comments_rss.aspxMackinac Center for Public Policy - Commentaries(c) 2006-2010, Mackinac Center for Public Policy5<p>By James M. Hohman. </p>The award of a $9.1 million tax credit to a convicted embezzler has raised serious concerns about the&nbsp;lack of transparency at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The concerns could be alleviated by two transparency/due diligence&nbsp;reforms that would protect the state (and taxpayers) from fraud. However, the real issue is not whether the occasional criminal wins an "incentive" deal, but the lack of transparency that characterizes this entire operation. This is the measure by which the responses of politicians and economic development bureaucrats to this embarrassment should assessed.</P> http://www.mackinac.org/12358http://www.mackinac.org/12358Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:52:00 -0500<p>By Jack McHugh. </p><p>In the wake of the news that the Michigan Economic Growth Authority&nbsp;awarded a $9 million tax break/subsidy deal to what appears to be a "shell" company created by a convicted embezzler, Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, has been assigned the task of managing Senate hearings on the vetting procedures used by MEGA and its parent agency, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. During his 11 years in the Legislature,&nbsp;Allen has become perhaps the most ardent&nbsp;promoter and defender of selective tax breaks and subsidies for particular firms and industries. Since 2001, Allen has introduced at least 60 bills in this category, many of them thinly disguised favors benefiting specific companies. Here are concise descriptions of a selection of these bills, from <a href="http://www.michiganvotes.org/">MichiganVotes.org</a>:</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12357http://www.mackinac.org/12357Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:20:00 -0500<p><a href="http://www.mackinac.org/bio.aspx?ID=139"><span style="color: #003399;">Lou Schimmel</span></a>, former director of municipal finance and an adjunct scholar with the Center, has been tapped for his expertise to solve the city of Warren's $10 million overspending crisis.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12356http://www.mackinac.org/12356Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:19:00 -0500<p>By Joseph G. Lehman. </p>School choice is good for students and the state budget. http://www.mackinac.org/12334http://www.mackinac.org/12334Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500<p>Henry Payne, editorial cartoonist for The Detroit News, writes about the Mackinac Center's climate change panel, in which he participated, at <a href="http://planetgore.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZjZjNjJkZDg3MGZlNDVjYmU1OTE4MzQzMWM3NGVlMzY="><span style="color: #003399;">National Review Online</span></a>.</p> <p>You can watch the event <a href="http://www.michiganliveevents.com/mppi-live032010.html"><span style="color: #003399;">here</span></a>.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12352http://www.mackinac.org/12352Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:14:00 -0500<p>A <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20100318/OPINION01/3180341/1008/Editorial--Drop-gimmicky-plan-to-link-salaries-of-teachers-and-school-superintendents-to-those-of-lawmakers"><span style="color: #003399;">Detroit News</span></a> editorial today calls a plan to cap salaries of public school superintendents and teachers based on what politicians are paid, "gimmicky," and cites <a href="http://www.mackinac.org/12288"><span style="color: #003399;">this commentary</span></a> by Mike Van Beek, director of education policy, which states that only 1 percent of school expenses go toward superintendent pay and benefits.</p> <p>James Hohman, fiscal policy analyst, does have a suggestion in this <a href="http://downriversundaytimes.com/2010/03/12/legislative-pay-evidence-of-a-larger-problem"><span style="color: #003399;">Dearborn Times-Herald Op-Ed</span></a> about what legislators should focus on if they really want to cut spending.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12351http://www.mackinac.org/12351Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:14:00 -0500<p>By James M. Hohman. </p>Expanding Michigan's sales tax a bad idea. http://www.mackinac.org/12328http://www.mackinac.org/12328Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500<p>More Michigan public school districts are posting their checkbook registers online as a way for taxpayers to see exactly how their money is spent, but most districts get a failing grade when it comes to transparency.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12350http://www.mackinac.org/12350Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:07:00 -0500<p>By James M. Hohman. </p><p>The Michigan Economic Growth Authority <a href="/12345">yesterday</a> approved its latest batch of tax credits to lure large business projects to Michigan. </p> <p>Despite the press release, these big business projects are just not that consequential to Michigan's total economy. </p> http://www.mackinac.org/12347http://www.mackinac.org/12347Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:48:00 -0500<p>By Michael D. LaFaive & Michael D. LaFaive. </p>Convicted embezzler's business wins high-profile state subsidy. http://www.mackinac.org/12345http://www.mackinac.org/12345Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500Kent County districts, others, report checkbooks now online. http://www.mackinac.org/12346http://www.mackinac.org/12346Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:59:00 -0500Did you miss the lively discussion? Watch it <a href="http://www.michiganliveevents.com/mppi-live032010.html">here</a>. http://www.michiganliveevents.com/mppi-live032010.htmlhttp://www.michiganliveevents.com/mppi-live032010.htmlTue, 16 Mar 2010 23:59:00 -0500<p>By Michael Van Beek. </p><p>Nearly every aspect of a teacher's job falls under the rules of a union contract. The following is a synopsis of just one of those agreements in Michigan.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12336http://www.mackinac.org/12336Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:14:00 -0500<p>By Paul Kersey. </p><p>Recent charges and guilty pleas involving union officials.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12329http://www.mackinac.org/12329Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:01:00 -0500New 'No Child,' concessions, reading scores. http://www.educationreport.org/12331http://www.educationreport.org/12331Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500<p>By Paul Chesser. </p>MichiganScience looks at Climategate. http://www.mackinac.org/12265http://www.mackinac.org/12265Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500<p>The <a href="http://www.mirsnews.com/welcome.php"><span style="color: #003399;">Michigan Information &amp; Research Service</span></a> (subscription required) reprinted <a href="http://www.mackinac.org/12281"><span style="color: #003399;">this</span></a> blog post by Paul Kersey, labor policy director, explaining why it would not be a violation of labor law for the Legislature to reject a 3 percent raise for state employees as some lawmakers claimed.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12314http://www.mackinac.org/12314Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:36:00 -0500<p>By Michael Van Beek. </p>http://www.mackinac.org/12327http://www.mackinac.org/12327Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500<p>By Russ Harding. </p>http://www.mackinac.org/12326http://www.mackinac.org/12326Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500<p>By Jarrett Skorup. </p>Dealing with government agencies. http://www.mackinac.org/12318http://www.mackinac.org/12318Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500<p>By Michael Van Beek. </p><p><a href="http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=113946"><span style="color: #003399;">Senate Bill 1148</span></a>, introduced recently by Sen. Bruce Patterson, R-Canton, would limit the total compensation of public school superintendents to 75 percent of what the governor is paid and prohibit districts from paying any teacher more than what a state legislator makes.</p> http://www.mackinac.org/12288http://www.mackinac.org/12288Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:38:00 -0500