… the economics of higher education, with an emphasis on federal and state policies related to financial aid, regulation, accreditation, financing, transparency and accountability. Prior to joining Cato, he spent over a decade at nonprofit and philanthropic organizations researching and trying to improve …
… announcements but hide the news when deals later fail to live up to expectations. The state’s business subsidy programs deserve extra accountability and transparency, and the proposed limits offered by these bills would help.
… lack of charter school transparency. And this could have dire … calls for greater financial transparency, and many additional regulations, … must comply with the same transparency laws as conventional public … are not held to the same transparency standards as other district … and how it impacts their transparency requirements, can be confusing. …
… the nation in government transparency. A key reason is that neither … citizens and provide greater transparency. The most recent attempts … threaten to weaken gains for transparency. Many of these exemptions … by a broad coalition of transparency advocates, including the … and promote a more pro-transparency approach to open records …
… taking back the initiative. Delie and Mike Van Beek lay out our plans for transparency and education, respectively. Our FOIA coalition helped craft two state … state’s Freedom of Information Act and turn 2024 into a year of government transparency in Michigan. And as new laws designed to enrich school unions take effect, …
… Michigan Supreme Court warns that upholding these decisions could harm transparency by shielding the official records of local government employees from … the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation, warns, the cause of government transparency will suffer. “If this decision stands, the public’s ability to gain …
MIDLAND, Mich. —Under the guise of "transparency," the Michigan State Board of Education has passed … The board’s claim that this move promotes transparency is a red herring. Charter schools are subject to the same transparency laws as all public schools. They serve a disproportionate …
… in the news division to achieve these goals. Qualifications: Commitment to free-market solutions to public policy problems. Support government transparency and accountability. An understanding of the structure and procedures of state and local government. Excellent writing and investigative skills. …
… information to hold the government accountable,” said Steve Delie, director of transparency and open government at the Mackinac Center. “If this interpretation … immediately amend FOIA to ensure that even a modicum of local government transparency survives in Michigan.” Read more about the case here. View the brief …
… the deals already made finally expire. Worse, officials refuse to say how much each company collects from the deals. Lawmakers make a mockery of transparency when people cannot be told how much of their money a private business gets. How many times does the state need to fail before legislators stop …
… Mackinac Center priorities could get bipartisan traction this year: Transparency Gov. Whitmer and legislators in both parties have touted open-records … funds has renewed legislators’ interest in measures to increase the transparency and accountability of the state’s economic development programs. Productivity …
… so over the top, huge compared to other kinds of economic development incentives,” LeRoy says. Lawmakers also fail to provide the kind of basic transparency over the film subsidies that people ought to get, like who is collecting their money and what movies and TV shows are receiving taxpayer funds. …
… the deals already made finally expire. Worse, officials refuse to say how much each company collects from the deals. Lawmakers make a mockery of transparency when people cannot be told how much of their money a private business gets. How many times does the state need to fail before legislators stop …
… positive steps towards increasing transparency in the state. The Mackinac Center’s director of transparency and open government, Steve Delie, … shortcomings and ensure greater transparency. This includes steps to address … drastically expand government transparency.” Read the full testimony here. …
… which is a coalition of pro-transparency advocates from across the … country for government transparency. This happens for many … would lead to even greater transparency. I believe that as a rule, … subject to the stricter pro-transparency test. I am certainly sensitive … better balance privacy and transparency interests. As an example, …
… better because it allows producers to sell filmcredits to other taxpayers. But laundering payments through other businesses at a discount decreases transparency. Subsidies should be part of the budget and be subject to annual appropriations. This keeps legislators in control of fiscal policy. The proposed …
MIDLAND, Mich. — Increasing government transparency, curbing corporate welfare programs and removing unnecessary regulatory hurdles are a just few of … bipartisan reforms the guide recommends include adding accountability and transparency to corporate welfare programs and refraining from creating new subsidy …
… control the legislative and executive branches of Michigan’s government. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer campaigned on the theme of having more government transparency, a theme echoed by many legislators. The current state budget, however, does not disclose who requested the money and why the company was picked …
… than one occasion when spoke out when state officials allocated millions of dollars to a Chinese-based company for a factory. Sensing a lack of transparency, the people of the township recalled the officials who approved the project. We will have a greater focus on education in 2024. As some state …
… discouraging poor policework. Reforming union contracts is necessary to improve transparency, encourage high-quality policing and remove officers who fail to meet … bargaining agreements in Michigan contain terms that are problematic for transparency, adequate discipline and stewardship of taxpayer dollars. In our sample …
… regularly engaged in misconduct. Our review suggests that most collective bargaining agreements in Michigan contain terms that are problematic for transparency, adequate discipline and stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Copies of the contracts reviewed for this analysis can be found here.
… The problem can be traced to a culture of non-transparency, but the practical problems with FOIA are straightforward. … return power to the people. Michigan needs more transparency. Without it, parents will be stymied in their … from one of the worst states in the nation for transparency into a national leader in open government.
… A Mackinac Center supporter for more than a decade, Mike believes a flourishing society needs citizens who demand character, accountability and transparency from their government. Michigan runs in Mike’s blood. He grew up on a farm outside Imlay City that his great-grandfather established in 1904. …
In 2023, transparency moved into the Overton Window in Michigan. … for non-filers. Whatever transparency comes from Proposal 1 will … Legislators didn’t embrace transparency on their own. The public … That’s not to claim victory. Transparency is not a native impulse … 2023 was a good year for transparency in Michigan. But we the …
… behalf of one of his or her constituents. This results in a lack of transparency and accountability, and it can create an unfair advantage for some businesses … about its pork problem. Current leaders in Lansing vowed more government transparency, and they have yet to fulfill that promise. There should be a vetting …
… out emails to various parties, seeking comment on these projects. No recipient responded. Critics of pork projects say there is no process or transparency for awarding these grants. A representative or senator requests the grants that will benefit his or her district to be included in the budget. …
… related to a controversy involving one of its officials. Last month, it lost in a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that an advocate for government transparency applauded. In 2020 the Graduate Employees Union at Michigan State University called on MSU to remove Stephen Hsu, the university’s senior vice …
… not a secret,” Byrum wrote in one post. “If this filing was a mistake, it is time to fix it and if you are going to err, do so on the side of transparency, not obfuscation,” Byrum added. “You owe it to the voters to ensure that they have the full picture when asking them for their votes.” Byrum noted …
… commit to taking the next two months, and going and engaging with our constituents and asking them, what is it we should do regarding financial transparency, to start the process of regaining the trust of the people of Michigan?” Lindsey asked. Lindsey and Runestad’s protest went unheeded. The rest …
… months. Thank you for helping us put government transparency into action and wield a megaphone for free … Reaching the target fuels our work in journalism, transparency and outreach. With the funds we are … Reaching … for them — as well as for the three current transparency lawsuits we have filed against a public university …
… up for what’s right. This has meant establishing teachers’ right to resign from their union at any time, challenging state entities that refuse transparency requests, defending parents who want the best education for their kids, and protecting ten million Michigan residents against executive overreach. …
… caselaw of when the exemption for FERPA information regarding students applies to public records requests. It is just the latest in a string of transparency victories the Mackinac Center has won over public entities across Michigan. But it should not take three years and hours of legal work to arrive …
… Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, testifying via Zoom, said that Michigan is “among the worst states in the nation” when it comes to ethics and transparency in government. “I hope this is just the beginning,” Benson said of the bills as written. She said the bills lack the “real penalties” of campaign …
… quickly and at a lesser expense. If adopted, these amendments could transform Michigan from a state with a longstanding and poor record of public transparency, to one of the more transparent states in the country.
… Once an investigation is complete, records should be made accessible. MCL § 15.243(1)(b)(iii): This amendment is designed to encourage greater transparency within the law enforcement community. Currently, obtaining a law enforcement officer’s disciplinary records is extremely difficult. This makes …
… requirements of the Open Meetings Act. This increases transparency, which is the overarching goal of the Commission. … conduct meetings electronically, both to increase transparency and to permit the Commission to be more responsive … public bodies, the Commission can increase transparency by establishing clear expectations for a public …
… 15.233(5): Although rare, some public bodies do not have easily accessible contact information for their FOIA coordinators. To encourage greater transparency, this information should be freely accessible to the public. Only the FOIA coordinator’s official contact information should be provided — personal …
… court decisions in such a way as to hamper the transparency goals of FOIA. The changes presented to this … https://perma.cc/T9T6-78CM. [†] Stephen Delie, “Transparency Laws Are Designed To Keep the Government Accountable. … information, see: Jaime Hope, “Court rules against transparency in Rochester schools FOIA case” (Michigan Capitol …
… relatively few. New definitions are provided to create and identify the proposed Open Government Commission. There are also some to facilitate greater transparency relating to police personnel files. A noteworthy amendment is an expansion of the definitions of “public record” and “public body.” If adopted, …
… analyzes each section of the law and provides word-for-word changes that would fix shortcomings and improve FOIA’s use as a tool for government transparency. A short summary of each section’s changes is provided, but a full description of every change would be unwieldy. This section categorizes and …
… thousands in court. Excessive fees, inappropriate delays and broad redactions are not the only problems preventing FOIA from providing meaningful transparency. Over the years, numerous amendments and legal interpretations have created several loopholes in the law.[‡] Lawyers and FOIA experts can navigate …
… for bold and meaningful reforms to Michigan’s transparency laws,” said Steve Delie, director of transparency and open government at the Mackinac Center. … about the Center’s work on improving government transparency here.
… June. And its vice chair questions whether the committee will move on transparency legislation by year’s end. When the 102nd Michigan Legislature started … House ethics committee. “Today is 223 days since we introduced our transparency bills,” Kunse told Michigan Capitol Confidential Monday. “The governor …
… The letter ends by noting the subcommittee’s mandate. “The Select Subcommittee is authorized to investigate ‘the efficacy, effectiveness, and transparency of the use of taxpayer funds and relief programs to address the coronavirus pandemic, including reports of waste, fraud, or abuse’ under H. Res. …
… information on bills, and the information available to the public is often months old. If you want to move to Michigan and be an involved citizen, transparency is a battle you will fight, from local governments to the state government in Lansing. We have a state government whose tentacles extend into …
… say? Congrats, you’re part of the problem. CapCon doesn’t emphasize transparency to be mean. We just happen to think that citizens should be able to … Candidates will be knocking on your door soon enough. If they don't value transparency, they support a status quo that is opaque. What will you do with this …
Michigan Democrats declared last November that they would provide transparency in state government. Elected Democrats stood shoulder-to-shoulder on Mackinac Island in June and declared new transparency laws were coming to Lansing. “Our government must be transparent and …
… politicians sign nondisclosure agreements that oblige both parties to keep quiet about negotiations. Pat Garofalo is appalled by this lack of basic transparency. Garofalo directs state and local policy at the American Economic Liberties Project, working with a coalition of groups and lawmakers to outlaw …
… quick, cheap and transparent. Michigan needs these changes because it consistently ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for government transparency. Citizens attempting to obtain public records frequently find themselves stonewalled by long delays. When government offices finally respond, they …
… and My Pay My Say. Additionally, Steve leads the Center's government transparency efforts as the transparency and open government director. Shane Hernandez is the President of Associated …
… So we do not know how much this has cost taxpayers so far. Legislators expanded the program this year despite its poor track record and lack of transparency. The program offers developers the authority to collect the state taxes associated with the building, the income taxes paid by workers when constructing …
… Every dollar spent by Lansing comes from taxpayers. People who work for a living have to watch their hard-earned money being spent without any transparency — and even without any consideration of whether the spending is a good use of the money. Jamie A. Hope is assistant managing editor of Michigan …
… are frustrated at the lack of transparency in disclosing the agreement that … disclosing all of the details for transparency and clarity?” The Mackinac Center … example of Michigan’s lack of transparency,” said Steve Delie, director of transparency and open government at the Mackinac …
… response. “This case represents yet another example of Michigan’s lack of transparency,” said Steve Delie, director of transparency and open government at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. “The Eagle …
… Foundation is suing Michigan State University to obtain full and complete transparency regarding the agreements, and to hold the university accountable for … troubling because the FOIA statute is designed to provide government transparency. Unless a specific exemption applies, all information in public records …
… protected from having schools take money out of their paychecks without permission. In addition to protecting Florida’s taxpayers, the law bolsters transparency requirements for unions and increases their accountability. Unions will have to submit audited financial statements to state officials, making …
… purpose of certain campaign finance regulations. Supporters say the bill will strengthen workers’ political voices. But it would also reduce the transparency of unions’ spending in politics. As the House fiscal analysis reads: “A labor organization would still be subject to reporting requirements but …
Two bills introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives would bring transparency to the state budget process. House bills 4750 and 4751 were introduced this month by Reps. Tom Kuhn, R-Troy, and Donni Steele, R-Orion. The bills are tie-barred together. Both bills must pass for either to be enacted …
… reason for concern. 6. Get patients full price transparency Whether the concern is treating COVID-19-related … build on recent federal regulations on price transparency to ensure a competitive market that will benefit providers and patients alike. Price transparency should be: Dependable: Prices must be real …
… While the current cast of Republicans are frustrated by the lack of transparency, their previous leaders have also engaged in political antics that did … process to make sure every voice is heard? What better time to model transparency in government? And who better than our lawmakers to model for the people …
… used the National Popular Vote to make a larger point about the lack of transparency in Michigan government. National Popular Vote, for years, has taken … Michigan is the least transparent state in the nation,” Runestad said. “Transparency and sunshine are the antiseptic to corruption.” Runestad went on to …
… for the protection of public employees’ rights, but taken collectively, these latest state efforts are creating tremendous momentum for expanding transparency and accountability around government union activity in the year to come. Public employees deserve to be informed of their First Amendment rights …
… funds, information the university supplied Gov. Whitmer’s officials about COVID policy and political statements made by the university president. Transparency is an ideal worth fighting for. We are residents of this state. We want our elected officials to serve with integrity or at least with respect …
… that a membership authorization form must inform employees of their right to join or not join a union. The form has new information that boosts transparency efforts by including the amount of any initiation fee, monthly dues and the compensation for the five highest-paid union officers. Additionally, …
… bargaining unit want union representation. SB 256 also offers meaningful transparency requirements designed to ensure employees can make an informed choice … about representation in their workplace. The bill also offers greater transparency into union business. If the bill is adopted, unions would be required …
… to acquire information that might illuminate its failures. It even keeps its offers of taxpayer cash secret by using non-disclosure agreements. Transparency might otherwise open it up to damning criticism and threaten elites’ financial and political gravy trains. And this is just in one area where …
… the Frank Beckmann Center for Journalism grew steadily in its first year of operation. News stories, videos, radio and television appearances, transparency efforts and other projects help us put free-market policy solutions in front of key audiences. These products and activities also keep citizens …
… we analyze and often support mechanisms to constrain it. Examples include free and fair elections, separation of powers, federalism, government transparency, spending limits and balanced budget requirements. We look to the future with optimism. To get there, we depend on forces for good outside the …
… their work onto outside contractors to avoid transparency. Lansing politicians and state economic development … endorses this secrecy. The public deserves more transparency. To revisit the question of Pure Michigan’s … Some Lansing politicians want to push greater transparency for state government. Let’s hope it includes …
… steps to improve government transparency. Much of the plan has gone … which pledges “greater transparency requirements for the MEDC.” … far cry from the “100% transparency” Whitmer promised of the … that as a fair price for transparency. Other aspects of the governor’s transparency plan have not fared much …
… of 2018 “is in its recognition of the value of reasonable environmental regulation, while still protecting Michigan’s businesses, and promoting transparency in the regulatory decisions made by state agencies.” Legislators should recognize that repealing the “no-more-stringent” requirements by passing …
… their work onto outside contractors to avoid transparency. Lansing politicians and state economic development … endorses this secrecy. The public deserves more transparency. To revisit the question of Pure Michigan’s … Some Lansing politicians want to push greater transparency for state government. Let’s hope it includes …
… school accountability and transparency are setting the stage for … Parent Dashboard for School Transparency as an effective replacement … not just reduce district transparency. It would also hinder efforts … school accountability and transparency. The repeal of the Read … school accountability and transparency. The letter grade ranking …
… There could be as many as 5,572 single pages, or as few as 2,786 double-sided pages. How many agreements does that account for? We don’t know. Transparency is a Mackinac Center concern. When Gordon left the health department, Whitmer wasn’t paying him with her own funds; she was spending the people’s …
The Wall Street Journal Michigan’s Gender Studies Secret “The Mackinac Center’s interest is in transparency that ‘affords parents the opportunity to understand what their children are learning, and to fully engage with local government officials about these lessons.’ The FOIA sought access to student …
… typically cash or cars, but also cell phones and even homes. Over the past decade, state lawmakers have passed several reforms: more reporting and transparency, raising the standard of evidence governments must meet before taking someone’s property and requiring a conviction in criminal court, in some …
… dating back to 1983, and found that the costs greatly outweighed the benefits. “Last week's spending spree shows a serious lack of restraint and transparency on the part of the Legislature,” said Michael LaFaive, senior director of fiscal policy at the Mackinac Center. “To start a legislative session …
… freedom, creating a sound business climate and expanding government transparency at all levels are just a few of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s … defend pro-worker policies such as right-to-work, prevailing wage and transparency in collective bargaining agreements. Families and businesses are dealing …
… judge about Michigan’s public transparency law. Carol Beth Litkouhi, a parent … schools should be held to the same transparency standards as other public employees. … Center is appealing the ruling. Transparency from public officials is a core … ruling, as it significantly weakens transparency in Michigan.”
… this item is not on there,” Spisz said at the meeting, challenging the transparency of the resolution. “It’s on our packet and on our tablets here, yes, … no. “This seems to me a not-great way to do business, with very little transparency and very little notice.” On the yes side, Chair Dave Woodward, a Democrat, …
… the ground running at CapCon. His focus is for CapCon to become the watchdog of Michigan’s government and ensuring that it serves the people with transparency and accountability. CapCon has covered important topics exposing corruption, government ineptness and frivolous spending of taxpayer dollars. …
An Oakland County Circuit Court ruling in a lawsuit involving the Rochester Community Schools District could mean less government transparency. Carol Beth Litkouhi, parent of a student in the school system, used the Freedom of Information Act to ask district officials for the curriculum used in a class …
… which drastically weakens transparency in Michigan’s schools and … severe implications for transparency efforts across the state,” … Steve Delie, director of transparency and open government at … FOIA. Under this standard, transparency efforts across the state … detrimental to government transparency and accountability efforts …
… message, even if asked in a FOIA request. Lack of transparency breeds distrust. Distrust produces speculation, … she declared she would work to ensure full transparency in state government. That never happened. … about the confusion that comes from a lack of transparency: This lack of information is surprising, because …
… statement required by the IRS, and available as a public record. Want to search IRS 990 forms, for non-profits you know? Go here. The lack of transparency in the state’s budget process is made more obvious when taxpayer dollars are awarded to an organization that’s hard to reach, such as The National …
… member’s authorization every year before deducting that person’s dues, a change that would strengthen employee choice. Finally, the bill would ensure transparency for government unions by requiring them to file the same financial reports that private sector unions do. Public sector collective bargaining …
… thanks to a law that demands modestly more transparency and accountability than past business subsidy … taxpayer cash.” He points to congressional transparency rules as one possible solution. Texas may also … non-profit, Michigan taxpayers deserve more transparency. Last-minute, secretive spending sprees approved …
… 2022), https://perma.cc/3P5A-S9ME. 7 Data provided to the author by California State Library Communications Manager Alex Vassar. 8 “Voters for Transparency and Term Limits” (Yes on Prop 1, 2022), https://perma.cc/8ZSJ-48WN. 9 Author interview with California State Library Communications Manager Alex …
… difference among states based on the reasons that compelled them to put disclosure data online. States that do so in an attempt to improve services and transparency for the public had more corruption referrals than states that did the same in response to corruption scandals. Proposal 1 could be seen as a desire …
… thanks to a law that demands modestly more transparency and accountability than past business subsidy … taxpayer cash.” He points to congressional transparency rules as one possible solution. Texas may also … non-profit, Michigan taxpayers deserve more transparency. Last-minute, secretive spending sprees approved …
… matter within the district. An isolated incident that has been addressed has not risen to the level of needing to bring the matter to the TCAPS Transparency community. Individual grievances are best handled by going to the teacher, principal, and superintendent. As I’ve discussed with Sally, more evidence …
… many of the people I met with also are becoming more alert to our state’s problems in energy policy. Other issues that surfaced were government transparency, emergency powers and corporate welfare. Walker: These insights and others that donors shared help us calibrate messages to take to lawmakers, …
… according to a Mackinac Center survey of state agencies’ commitment to transparency. The Mackinac Center embarked on a new project in June to measure how … needed, and we at the Mackinac Center will continue to promote sound transparency policy through lawsuits, model legislation, and studies to ensure that …
… learn how to generate and produce stories. Our transparency initiatives, which include filing hundreds … three lawsuits against insufficient government transparency, with more in the works. One client, Carol … supported our mission of promoting government transparency and impact journalism. You can learn more about …
