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Taylor Named New Chairman of Mackinac Center Board of Directors
Former Supreme Court Justice Replaces Olson
Analysis: High Cigarette Taxes Contributing to Increased Smuggling Rates in Michigan, Elsewhere
More than 29 percent of Michigan s total cigarette consumption in 2011 was smuggled into the state, according to Center analysts
Michigan Becomes 24th Right-to-Work State in the Nation
‘The power an idea can have when it is pursued with principle and persistence,’ says Center president
Legislation Announced to Make Michigan the 24th Right-to-Work State in the Nation
‘Historic day for both Michigan and the nation,’ says labor policy expert
Michigan Could Become 24th Right-to-Work State
‘Won’t affect collective bargaining; only takes away unions’ ability to fire those who don’t financially support them,’ says labor policy expert
Proposal 5 Likely to Help Limit State Taxes and Improve State’s Economy
Proposal nevertheless appears to allow lawmakers to raise revenues if necessary, undertake major tax reforms and avoid ‘California-style’ budget problems
Michigan Press Association and Mackinac Center Joint Statement on Proposal 2 and the Freedom of Information Act
‘Chilling effects on citizens’ right to know’
Study Finds Rejecting Proposal 1 Will Not Preserve Local Control, but Will Affect Powers Given to State-Appointed Managers of Local Governments in Financial Crisis
Center analyst: The additional powers of Public Act 4 will save taxpayers in distressed communities more than $100 million annually
Nearly 80 Percent of School Districts Appear in Violation of Michigan's Merit-Pay Law
Most union contracts still refuse to reward good teaching; Problem may grow worse if Proposal 2 passes
Proposal 4 Would Lock Forced Unionization of Home-Based Caregivers Into Michigan Constitution
Center attorney: ‘Dubious arrangement pursued for the sole purpose of allowing the SEIU to pad its political coffers’
Proposal 2 Would Allow Government Union Contracts to Invalidate Existing and Future State Laws
Center analysts estimate at least $1.6 billion in taxpayer savings lost annually
Prop 3’s Renewable Energy Standard Could Cost Michigan 10,540 Jobs, According to New Mackinac Center-Beacon Hill Institute Study
Study considers investment and costs of the ‘25 x 25’ proposal; effect of current 10 percent standard also estimated
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Asks MERC to Reverse Forced Unionization of Home-Based Caregivers
Seeks return of $3 million in skimmed ‘dues’
‘Protect Our Jobs’ Proposal Approved by State Supreme Court
Analyst: ‘Voters now have a very important decision to make’
‘Protect Our Jobs’ Proposal Approved by Court of Appeals; State Supreme Court May Have Final Say
Center analyst: Pressuring the court ‘should not be tolerated’
13-Year-Old Entrepreneur to Reopen Hot Dog Stand in Holland, Mich., Thursday Morning
Center attorney: ‘Zoning policies can have negative consequences for the economically vulnerable’
‘Protect Our Jobs’ Proposal Is Not Certified by State Board of Canvassers; Court May Have Final Say
Analyst: ‘Proposal could completely change how Michigan is governed’
Center’s 2012 School Privatization Survey Shows Largest Increase Ever; State ‘Best Practices’ Incentives May Be Working
335 of 549 districts — 61 percent — now contract at least one major support service to the private sector, up from 31 percent in 2001
New School Report Card Produces 'Apples-to-Apples' Comparison of Michigan Public High School Performance by Adjusting for Student Family Poverty Levels
Study finds town and rural high schools outperforming city and suburban ones on average
Ballot Petition Signatures Submitted in Home Health Aide Scheme
Attempt to grant dues skim constitutional protection is a ‘disgrace’
Michigan Per-Pupil Revenues Hit All-Time High in 2011; $13,400 per Student
Districts in deficit spent 22 percent more on average compared to the rest of the state
‘Protect Our Jobs’ Backers Submit Petition Signatures
‘Radical constitutional amendment’ follows pattern of failed attempts by unions to rig system in their favor
Mackinac Center President Invites Bob King to Debate ‘Protect Our Jobs’ Ballot Proposal After UAW Chief a No-Show at Policy Conference Debate
Wisconsin recall results show how seriously voters take issue of unionized government
Attorney General Orders Home Health Dues Skim to End
Illegal scheme continued despite law explicitly stating providers are not government employees
Alcohol-Market Controls Like Michigan’s Do Not Appear to Advance Public Health and Safety, Study Finds
State economic restrictions raise consumer prices, reduce availability and limit entrepreneurial opportunities to no clear end, say authors
New Law Frees Home Health Care Providers From Stealth Unionization, Dues Skim
Illegal arrangement that netted SEIU $29.4 million from the developmentally disabled comes to an end
State Senate Passes Legislation to Define Home Health Care Providers as Private Individuals
Attorney: Ballot initiative to revive lucrative and illegal SEIU scheme would violate U.S. Constitution
Study Discusses Five Ways to Close State’s Badly Underfunded Public School Employee Pension Plan
Author also questions ‘transition costs’ of closing the plan and concludes legislators can disregard these at their discretion
Indiana Governor Signs Right-to-Work Law; Michigan’s Fragile Economy Faces New Competition
Mackinac Center policy experts available for comment
Count of Proposed Government Expansions and Limitations in State of the State Address Available Wednesday Night
Mackinac Center policy experts available to comment on Gov. Snyder’s remarks
Every Roll Call Vote by Every State Legislator Tallied for 2011
Individual legislators missed 1,437 votes in 2011, according to MichiganVotes.org 'Missed Votes Report'
Michigan Employment Relations Commission Excludes Graduate Student Research Assistants From Judicial Proceedings That Directly Impact Them, Attorney Says
Ruling allowing unionization case to proceed ‘undermines due process’
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Welcomes Attorney General Entry Into U-M Grad Student Unionization Case
AG’s participation highlights ‘critical importance’ of upholding law and protecting rights of research assistants
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Files Motion on Behalf of New U-M Campus Group
370-member “Students Against GSRA Unionization” joins Melinda Day in opposing effort to unionize graduate student research assistants
Attorney: State Officials Should Investigate How Illegal and Defunded State Agency Continues to Operate
Although Legislature cut off Michigan Quality Community Care Council funding Sept. 30, agency continues to function, collect dues for SEIU
Local Government Employee Union Contracts for Every Michigan County and 28 Largest Municipalities Available Online
Assembled collective bargaining contracts will allow residents to scrutinize pay, benefits, work rules for police, therapists and ‘comfort station matrons’
As New State Committee Meets on Liquor Control, Mackinac Center Statistical Analysis Finds Liquor Prices Higher in Wholesale Control States Like Michigan
Hidden cost of state’s liquor regime estimated to raise prices by up to 6.3 percent, potentially more than doubling Michigan’s state sales tax for liquor
Center’s 2011 School Privatization Survey Shows That for First Time, Majority of Michigan Districts Contract Out for Noninstructional Services
295 of 550 districts — 53.6 percent — now contract at least one major service to the private sector, up from 31.0 percent in 2001
The Michigan Employment Relations Commission Unanimously Rejects Unionization of U of M Graduate Student Research Assistants
As Mackinac Center requested, commission stands by its 1981 ruling that these student researchers are not public employees
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Seeks to Prevent Illegal Unionization of U of M Graduate Student Research Assistants
Proposed unionization involves same union, university employer and group of students that MERC rejected before
Case Ends; Forced Unionization Still a Threat
Attorney: Policymakers should ensure it can't happen again, end similar scheme affected home health care providers
State Supreme Court Failure to Rectify Disastrous FOIA Ruling ‘Must Be Fixed,’ Says Center Attorney
Legislature should act swiftly to restore the intent behind Michigan’s public disclosure law
New Online Database Provides Unique ‘Context and Performance’ Information for Every Standard Michigan Public High School
Data for 678 schools range from ACT and MME scores to percentage of students qualifying for federal school lunch subsidies; chance to ‘uncover hidden gems’
Veteran Lansing Reporter Jack Spencer Joins Michigan Capitol Confidential
‘Highly regarded’ MIRS reporter and analyst will cover Capitol beat
Center Study Compares Financial Data for Michigan’s Urban, Suburban, Town and Rural School Districts
Kent County Court Rules That Straightforward Provision of State Public Bargaining Law Is Essentially Unenforceable
‘The court’s decision should send the Michigan Legislature back to the drawing board,’ says Mackinac Center lawyer
State of Michigan to Stop Illegal ‘Union Dues’ Withdrawals From Checks to Home-Based Day Care Providers
‘Fantastic news’ needs to be coupled with legislative action to prevent similar schemes in the future, says Mackinac Center attorney
Study: Michigan’s Public Employment Relations Act Should Be Overhauled or Eliminated
‘Collective bargaining for government workers is a privilege, not a right,’ says Mackinac Center labor analyst
Gov. Snyder’s Proposed Corporate Income Tax, Including Elimination of MEGA Program and Film Subsidies, Holds Promise for Michigan Economy, Analyst Says
‘Jobs’ programs not only failed, but distracted policymakers from effective tax reform
Nearly 3,000 Roll Call Votes of State Representatives and Senators Tallied for 2009-2010
More than 7,100 votes missed during session, according to MichiganVotes.org “Missed Votes Report”
Study: High Cigarette Taxes Cause Widespread Smuggling in Michigan, Elsewhere in U.S.
Smuggled imports make up an estimated 26 percent of Michigan’s total cigarette consumption in 2009
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Files Suit Against 10 Kent County School Districts, KCEA, on Behalf of Taxpayers
Suit seeks to purge illegal “no-privatization” contract language
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Asks Michigan Supreme Court to Review Day Care Union Case
Wright: Case involving 40,000 Michigan home-based businesses, $4 million and illegal government actions deserves hearing
Michigan's Regulatory Climate Drives Businesses and Jobs to States With Fewer Barriers, According to New Mackinac Center Study
Harding: Legislature should act quickly to streamline 'dysfunctional' system, adopt specific reforms to make Michigan competitive
Michigan Court of Appeals Denies Motion to Recommit — Once Again Without Comment — in Day Care Union Case
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation will ask Michigan Supreme Court to reverse lower court’s dismissal, put an end to illegal unionization scheme
GlobalWatt Claims on Applications for MEGA Deals Disputed, Raise Questions About MEDC Scrutiny
State Should Investigate GlobalWatt's Claims, Says Center Analyst
Michigan Court of Appeals’ Second Terse Dismissal of Day Care Union Suit Again Fails to Address Core Legal Questions
Court’s inaction allows illegal stealth unionization to continue
Michigan Supreme Court Votes Unanimously to Require Michigan Court of Appeals to Explain Its Rejection of Day Care Unionization Lawsuit
Court of Appeals will have to elaborate on six-word denial issued last December
Public School Support Service Privatization Increases 8.0 Percent in Michigan
Largest single-year increase, according to Center analyst
Center Analyst: MSU School Consolidation Study Appears to Contain Plagiarized Material
A school consolidation study published by Michigan State University's Education Policy Center appears to contain plagiarized material.
moreCenter Video: Gov. Granholm Boasts of Role in Forced Unionization of Home Day Care Workers
Mackinac Center President Joseph G. Lehman To Discuss Overton Window on Glenn Beck’s Fox News Show Today
Beck’s new book borrows title and premise from theory developed by late Center vice president
MIDLAND — Mackinac Center President Joseph G. Lehman is scheduled to appear on "The Glenn Beck Show" on Fox News Channel at around 5:20 p.m. EDT today to discuss the Overton Window of Political Possibility, a theory created in the mid-1990s by the late Joseph P. Overton, formerly the Center's senior vice president. Beck's new book, "The Overton Window," was released June 15, and it already tops the bestseller list. Lehman was a guest on Beck's nationally syndicated radio show on June 9.
moreGov. Granholm’s Tax Hike Proposal Would Kill 30,000 Michigan Jobs in First Year, According to Tax Analysis Model
Losses eventually moderate to 13,500 if tax cuts phased in
MIDLAND — Mackinac Center President Joseph G. Lehman is scheduled to appear live on The Glenn Beck Program during the 10 a.m. hour EDT (or second hour if tape delayed) on June 9 to discuss the Overton Window of Political Possibility, a theory created in the mid-1990s by Joseph P. Overton, the Center's late senior vice president. Beck's newest book is a work of fiction titled "The Overton Window," due to be released June 15. The program is carried on 400 stations nationwide, including 15 in Michigan.
moreMackinac Center President to Discuss Overton Window Theory on Glenn Beck’s Radio Show Wednesday
Beck’s new book borrows title, premise from theory developed by Center scholar
MIDLAND — Mackinac Center President Joseph G. Lehman is scheduled to appear live on The Glenn Beck Program during the 10 a.m. hour EDT (or second hour if tape delayed) on June 9 to discuss the Overton Window of Political Possibility, a theory created in the mid-1990s by Joseph P. Overton, the Center's late senior vice president. Beck's newest book is a work of fiction titled "The Overton Window," due to be released June 15. The program is carried on 400 stations nationwide, including 15 in Michigan.
moreState Report Shows Status of State Employee Pension Plan Worst in 15 Years: Less Than 80% Funded, With More Than $3 Billion in Unfunded Liability
MIDLAND — Richard C. Dreyfuss, an actuary and Mackinac Center adjunct scholar, today responded to new state data showing substantial unfunded liabilities in state employees' pension and retiree health care plans by calling on Michigan legislators to "address state employee retirement cost burdens now, rather than later, when they will become even worse."
moreFunding Questions Surround Hangar42 Studios Deal, According to Center Analyst
State officials mum on details surrounding possible $45 million project touted by Gov. Granholm in State of the State address
MIDLAND — Recent data compiled by the National Education Association shows that average salaries for Michigan public school teachers from 2003 to 2009 outpaced those of teachers in all other states when factoring in states' per capita personal income levels, according to analysis by Mackinac Center Education Policy Director Michael Van Beek.
moreAverage Teacher Salaries in Michigan Highest in the Nation When Compared to Relative State Wealth
Analysis of school employee ‘concessions’ and how the foundation allowance works part of new Mackinac Center series on school funding myths
MIDLAND — Recent data compiled by the National Education Association shows that average salaries for Michigan public school teachers from 2003 to 2009 outpaced those of teachers in all other states when factoring in states' per capita personal income levels, according to analysis by Mackinac Center Education Policy Director Michael Van Beek.
moreEven at Michigan Supreme Court, State Continues to Duck Central Question of Whether Home-Based Day Care Providers Are Government Employees
In Loar v. DHS, state’s meager 12-page Supreme Court brief concedes the main issue by never addressing it, notes Mackinac Center attorney
MIDLAND — In a filing yesterday with the Michigan Supreme Court in the lawsuit Loar v. DHS, Mackinac Center attorney Patrick J. Wright lodged a response to a Department of Human Services brief that he later described as a "thin hodge-podge of technicalities." The filing by Wright, director of the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation, called on the Supreme Court to immediately rule in favor of the home day care business owners the Mackinac Center represents in the case.
moreNews Release: Mackinac Center, Michigan Press Association Ask Michigan Supreme Court to Overturn Ruling That Would ‘Gut’ State’s Freedom of Information Act
Public officials could cover up criminal, improper or irresponsible activities by simply claiming communications to be ‘personal’
MIDLAND — A lower court's interpretation of what constitutes a "public record" under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act would shield criminal and other improper government activities from public scrutiny, according to an amicus brief jointly submitted to the Michigan Supreme Court today by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and the Michigan Press Association.
moreNews Release: Fewer People Employed in Michigan Movie Industry Than Before Film Tax Credits Began, According to Center Analyst
Despite state giving away $117 million in subsidies over two years, there are nearly 10 percent fewer industry jobs
Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Appeals Loar v. DHS to Michigan Supreme Court
Wright, clients hold press conference at the Hall of Justice in Lansing
LANSING — The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation will appeal the case of Loar v. DHS to the Michigan Supreme Court, according to Director Patrick Wright.
The public-interest law firm brought suit against the Michigan Department of Human Services in September on behalf of home-based day care providers who were forced into a government employees union and had dues withheld from state subsidy payments provided to low-income families. In late December, the Michigan Court of Appeals dismissed the case without explanation.
moreSunshine Week 2010 Update: Several Kent County Schools Now Posting Checkbooks Online
Algonac, Meridian and North Branch schools also make spending records available to public
Show Michigan the Money project Director Ken Braun said he is pleased that at least eight Kent County school districts began posting their check registers online in early 2010. In response to a news release issued earlier today, one Kent County school district notified Braun that the district had been posting check registers online. Repeated requests from Braun seeking participation from the region's districts appeared to produce no posted check registers — and even some resistance — in 2009, but a breakthrough appears to have occurred this year in eight Kent County districts.
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