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Without Context, Water Use Claims Are Misleading (Millions? Billions? Trillions?)

Water use debate often occurs in an information vacuum

Tom Gantert | January 16, 2020

Corporate Subsidy Formula: Big Promises In Headlines, Failures Invisible

Take those job promises with a grain of salt

Tom Gantert | October 10, 2019

Michigan Teacher Pay Scales: Top Out Fast, Then Go Nowhere

That’s the union contract most teachers accept when they enter the profession

Tom Gantert | September 14, 2019

No Such Thing As An Average Teacher Salary In Michigan

One teacher saw a $19,166 increase over three years; another, $435 over seven

Tom Gantert | September 13, 2019

Will Wild Rice Really Save The Great Lakes?

Without prioritization, it’s hard to know if Great Lakes Restoration money is well-spent

Tom Gantert | September 5, 2019

Website Calls Detroit Charter School ‘Struggling,’ Silent On Failing District Schools Nearby

Charter scored a ‘C’ on income-adjusted school ratings, but its conventional competitors got an ‘F’

Tom Gantert | August 20, 2019

Possible Fire Sprinkler License Would Be Nation's Most Restrictive

‘Work experience’ requirement exceeds requirements for practicing law

Madeline Peltzer | July 15, 2019

Homeowner: Are All Uses Not ‘Permitted’ By Zoning Forbidden?

That’s what one Michigan city appears to claim

Dawson Bell | March 14, 2019

Respected Think Tank Shatters Michigan ‘Teacher Shortage’ Myth

Uncritical media has repeated this false teachers union claim

Tom Gantert | February 26, 2019

Michigan School Funding ‘Dead Last’? Watch That Methodology

Third in a series of how claims about public school revenue claims are often misleading

Tom Gantert | February 11, 2019

One Source Of School Finance Confusion: ‘Equity In School Funding’

Second in a series of how claims about public school revenue claims are often misleading

Tom Gantert | February 9, 2019

Warning: Michigan School Finance Is Complicated

It’s also confusing, and spending interests often don’t tell the whole story

Tom Gantert | February 8, 2019

Diversity Programs Big Business at U-M

University pays $11 million to 93 diversity program administrators

Derek Draplin | February 4, 2019

School Budgets Caught A Cold In 2000s, But Michigan Taxpayers Suffered Economic Pneumonia

Spending advocates’ budget comparisons ignore how Michigan’s ‘lost decade’ crushed taxpayers

Tom Gantert | January 30, 2019

Michigan Schools And Families Were Hurt By 800,000 Lost Jobs

Public school establishment complaining about cuts that happened 10 years ago

Tom Gantert | November 12, 2018

Utility’s Plan To Replace Coal With Solar Passes Regulatory Hurdle

Regulators advance it a step, but cost and reliability concerns remain

Evan Carter | October 8, 2018

U-M Research Guide Leans Left On ‘Fake News’ And Media Bias

Watching academia's taxpayer-funded media watchers

Tom Gantert | August 28, 2018

Costly Drugs For Rare Diseases A Moral Dilemma For Society

A life-and-death issue for some

Parker Thayer | June 28, 2020

Acts Of 'Social And Domestic Anarchy' Could Get 20 Years Under This Bill

May riots caused losses of $2.4 million in sponsor's district

July 8, 2020

As Coronavirus Case Numbers Soar, Deaths Plummet

July 7, 2020

State-Approved Bailout For Delinquent Renters Feeds Other Interests, Too

$50 million for tenants and landlords, $10 million for administration, legal aid groups and social welfare nonprofits

July 7, 2020

Whitmer Permits Fans At High School Sports While Tigers Play To Empty Stadium?

July 6, 2020

Coronavirus Deaths Plummeted Since Stay-At-Home Order Lifted June 1

July 5, 2020

Whitmer: Keep In Your Seats While In Bars

Walking around a restaurant or bar is a crime unless ordering or using the restroom

July 2, 2020

Whitmer Will Make Call On Face Masks In Schools

Mask mandates will vary based on administration’s COVID-19 recovery judgment

July 1, 2020

State Supreme Court Sets Sept. 2 For Oral Arguments On Whitmer Emergency Powers

June 30, 2020

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Religious Schools Can Receive Public Funds

Impact unclear for Michigan, which has nation’s most restrictive language

June 30, 2020

Michigan More Sensitive Than Florida To COVID-19?

Whitmer Administration Makes That Claim Despite Far More Michigan Deaths

June 30, 2020

Governor Proposes Classifying ‘False, Racially-Motivated 911 Calls’ As Hate Crime

June 29, 2020

Percentage Of Deaths Linked To COVID-19 Dramatically Lower In Michigan

June 28, 2020

Teachers’ Claims Of Out-Of-Pocket Expenses Goes Against State Law

Detroit Free Press columnist claims Detroit teachers ‘forced to buy their own supplies’

June 27, 2020

Michigan Columnist Challenges Trump To Increase School Spending; Federal Funding Most Ever

Fiscal Agency records go back to 2000

June 26, 2020

New York Times Says Whitmer Reversed Underinvestment; Her First Budget Had Decade’s First Decline

State spending increased for nine consecutive years but that ended with Whitmer’s first budget

June 26, 2020

Officials Saw Struggle Coming To Process Epidemic Unemployment Claims

There are 11,824 people still waiting months after filing

June 26, 2020

Two Michigan Gyms Open Despite Executive Order Lockdown

Federal district judge shot down gym lockdown June 19, appeals court reinstated it June 24

June 25, 2020

Two Months Ago, State Had Far More COVID-19 Cases And Far Fewer Tests

Number of tests not often reported by media

June 24, 2020

GOP Social Distancing Violations ‘Dangerous, Irresponsible;’ Whitmer's Violation Unmentioned

Governor’s spokeswoman calls Senate majority leader’s haircut ‘playing partisan politics’

June 24, 2020

Still Waiting: Thousands Not Getting Employment Benefits Months After Applying

June 23, 2020

One City, One Decade, One Million Parking Tickets

June 23, 2020

Poor Community, Rich School District

Wealthy community’s school funding less rich

June 23, 2020

Last Three Months' Jobless Benefits Nearly Match State's 2019 School Budget

June 22, 2020

Federal Court Orders Michigan To Lift Lockdown On Gyms

Court sees no evidence of 'a rational relation between' closing gyms and public health

June 19, 2020

Fed Court: Let Michigan Supremes Decide If Whitmer's Emergency Powers Valid

Current law puts no time limit on assumption of extraordinary powers

June 19, 2020

National Teachers Union Wants Police Out Of Schools

June 19, 2020

Whitmer: Attempt To Strip Emergency Powers 'Irresponsible, Dangerous, And Foolish'

Extends her extraordinary powers until end of July or longer

June 18, 2020

Whitmer Extends Emergency Even As Hospital Occupancy Rates Back To Normal

The rate was 66% on June 15, same figure as 1990 and 2010

June 17, 2020

Lansing Activists Want To Defund Police

But city owes public safety retirees $764 million in benefits

June 17, 2020

Michigan Can’t Find $3.5 Million For State Police Body Cams, Spends $15 Million On Tourism Marketing

About $2,200 per officer per year to acquire, operate body cams

June 16, 2020

Union Announces Cost To Reopen US Schools: $116.5 Billion

'...should be provided in addition to other funds'

June 16, 2020

Former Ann Arbor Chief Speaks Out On Police Unions

They exploit a process 'staggeringly favorable to bad cops'

June 16, 2020

Whitmer Won’t Defund ‘All The Police,’ State Police Handle Her Emergency Communications

Wants less law enforcement, criminal justice in budget

June 15, 2020

Cop Or Barber? Clipping Hair In Michigan Requires Three Times More Training

594 hours versus 1,800 hours

June 15, 2020

Police Unions In The Crosshairs

Former chief says they make it 'almost impossible to fire and hold officers accountable'

June 14, 2020

Attorney General Cited ‘Mussels’ 38 Times, ‘Flood’ Once In Suit Over Dam That Failed

Suit filed 19 days before flood, for lowering waters behind dam

June 13, 2020

Whitmer Agrees Armed Blacks At Capitol Would Be Killed; These Weren't

June 12, 2020

Whitmer's 114 Coronavirus Executive Orders Bring 22 Lawsuits So Far

More of both seem likely

June 11, 2020

Police Chief: 'Nothing More Debilitating' Than Unions Interfering With Firing Bad Officers

Minneapolis Police Chief pulling out of union negotiations

June 10, 2020

It's A Crime In Michigan To Cut Hair Without A License Even For Free

June 10, 2020

Licensure Mandates Cost Michigan Jobs And Millions In State Revenue

Job restrictions also have disparate impact on youth and minorities

Sandy Malone | December 2, 2019

What the Mackinac Center is Thankful for in 2019

Freedom, fairness and fiscal responsibility

Jarrett Skorup | November 28, 2019

Revisit Spending Priorities

Lawmakers won't have as much revenue to spend this year

James M. Hohman | July 1, 2020

Lawmakers won't have as much revenue to spend this year

Get the Numbers Straight about School Finance

Complete picture, sound math debunk exaggerated talking points

Ben DeGrow | June 19, 2020

Complete picture, sound math debunk exaggerated talking points

State and Local Bailouts Would Reward Fiscal Wastefulness

Congress should avoid bailouts

Michael D. LaFaive and Carol Platt Liebau | June 16, 2020

Congress should avoid bailouts

Completing the Fix for Police Accountability

We must adopt a comprehensive approach to police reform

David Guenthner | June 16, 2020

We must adopt a comprehensive approach to police reform

Voter Cleanup - Missed One? Sheriff Gets Ballot Application For Dead Person 20 Years Gone

2018 law requires state to match voter records against Social Security master files

June 9, 2020

Does Defund The Grand Rapids Police Mean Take Their Pensions Too?

Police and firefighters have been promised a combined $530.7 million in pensions by the city

June 9, 2020

90 Days, 113 COVID-19 Executive Orders

June 8, 2020

Fewer New Michigan COVID-19 Cases Since George Floyd Protests Began

June 6, 2020

Michigan County Had Highest Unemployment In U.S. In April

June 5, 2020

Science? Data? Judgment? Something Else? Continued Hair Salon Lockdown Raises Questions

Governor's re-opening plan splits state in regions, so why keep barbers in 'safe' areas closed?

June 4, 2020

Ford Plant Still Operating 14 Days After Trump's Face Mask-Free Visit

Michigan Attorney General's 'real possibility' of harm hasn't happened

June 4, 2020

Fewer New Coronavirus Cases In Midland After Thousands Helped On Flood, Cleanup

Few face masks, little social distancing among volunteers mucking-out homes

June 4, 2020

Whitmer Cites Increased COVID-19 Cases In Ohio; Recent Data Not Supportive

Johns Hopkins, New York Times, State of Ohio all show downward trend

June 3, 2020

Michigan Sheriff: ‘We Are Not Going To Investigate’ Businesses Reopening’

June 3, 2020

New Whitmer Order: You May Remove Face Mask While Eating In Bars Or Restaurants

Thanks for that; establishments can reopen June 8

June 1, 2020

Michigan's April Job-Loss Percentage Topped The Nation

From March to April, no state was harder hit by epidemic and lockdown policies

June 1, 2020

Lansing Insiders: Whitmer Expected To Ease Statewide Lockdown Today

June 1, 2020

Feds Scratch Heads: Bicycle Repairs OK But Jeweler Visits A Crime Without Appointment?

US Department of Justice says, ‘hard to conceive of a rational basis’ for some Michigan lockdown orders

May 31, 2020

Whitmer Sends Mixed Messages On Protests During Epidemic

'The First Amendment right to protest has never been more important'

May 30, 2020

U.S. Department of Justice: Why Pot Dispensaries Allowed But Not Car Washes?

May 30, 2020

Who Is Fear Mongering?

May 29, 2020

Lawsuit Filed Against Whitmer’s Plans That Could Imprison Business Owners Who Defy Executive Orders

May 27, 2020

Columnist Conjures Images of Dead Children to Support Lockdowns

Data suggest children are least at risk; only a dozen deaths nationwide

May 27, 2020

State's Top Medic Says COVID Cases Low, But 'All Of The Risk' Not Gone

When will 'all of the risk' ever be gone?

May 27, 2020

State Epidemic Website’s Fine Print Conflicts With Claims From Whitmer, Experts

Less than represented

May 26, 2020

Bill Would Permit Outside Bar And Restaurant 'Social Districts'

May 26, 2020

Detroit Cops Have Issued 2,528 Tickets For Lockdown Violations

More than 5,600 warnings and 39 parties busted, too

May 26, 2020

202 New COVID-19 Cases In Michigan On Memorial Day

Lowest since May 4

May 26, 2020

U-M Football Cancelled? Washtenaw County Had Two Cases Of COVID-19 on May 22

May 24, 2020

AG Dana Nessel’s Lawsuit Response Claims COVID-19 is ‘Wily ... Pernicious ... Foe’

May 24, 2020

Coronavirus Threat Springs Kwame; Michigan’s Prison Test Results

This state has tested its 38,130 prisoners

May 23, 2020

Whitmer Called Lockdown ‘Temporary’ On March 23, Now Extended to 81 Days

Rationale then was bend the curve, state ICU bed use rate now 68%

May 22, 2020

Michigan AG Nessel: Ford Plant May Have To Close Because Trump Visited Without Face Mask

'A real possibility' if a worker there gets sick

May 22, 2020

Michigan No. 2 In Nation For Unemployment

Only Nevada is higher with its closed casinos

May 22, 2020

State Employees Laid Off One Day Per Week Will Get That $600 Per Week Federal Boost

May 22, 2020

Judge Won’t Shut Down Owosso Barber Over ‘Theoretical’ Threat

Asks why barber wasn’t arrested if threat was real

May 21, 2020

Science Is Uncertain On COVID-19

Rationales for lockdown based on 'best science' that is changing

May 21, 2020

Workers Earning Under $50K A Year Could Do Better On Unemployment

$600-a-week federal boost is the difference maker

May 21, 2020

Michigan Unemployment Rate Jumps From 4% to 23.8% In One Month

Michigan jobless rate in April was 23.8%, U.S.14.4%

May 20, 2020

Township Board Rejects Locking Down Small Stores But Not Big Ones

They're unanimous in not buying the rationale

May 20, 2020

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