The Michigan Senate is poised to pass bills that would make intimidating speech a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Critics say the bills would criminalize speech protected by the First Amendment. House Bills 4474, 4475, 4476, and 4477 aim to prohibit hate crimes, institutional desecration and crime of ethnic intimidation. The House already passed the bills. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Jul 01, 2023•3 min•Ep. 102
Michigan’s record $82 billion budget for 2024 will add 899 government employees and will increase spending by about $8 billion – Republicans equate these measures to an unsustainable spending spree. Michigan’s 2022 budget was stuffed with $146M in pork barrel spending. This year, that number climbed closer to $ 1 billion , with taxpayers shelling out millions of dollars for splash pads, union grants, and solar panels. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focu...
Jun 30, 2023•5 min•Ep. 101
The Michigan Department of Education is set to receive a 54% increase in funding in the 2023-24 budget despite lagging student test scores. The proposed budget increases funding for the MDE from $420.6 million in the current budget to $647.4 million in 2023-24. That’s a $226 million increase from the previous fiscal year. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Jun 30, 2023•5 min•Ep. 100
Michigan Governor Whitmer awarding $25 million in spending to hire school resource officers in Michigan schools reflects a shift in the Governor's tone around policing. Previously the Governor stated that she supported the spirit of defunding the police. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
Jun 23, 2023•7 min•Ep. 99
The Michigan House approved six bills to boost union membership that critics say would prioritize union politics before the quality of education. House Bill 4357 aims to allow school districts to deduct automatically union dues from teacher salaries. Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Niles, said if the bill becomes law, it could push teachers out of the profession. He said when he was starting as a teacher, he made $34,000 annually. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-f...
Jun 22, 2023•6 min•Ep. 98
Democratic Michigan State Senator Stephanie Chang introduces a bill in Michigan that would eliminate job performance from impacting pay raises for teachers. This proposed change would only impact a small portion of teachers in Michigan. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
Jun 16, 2023•7 min•Ep. 97
Detroit’s school board approved a $1.1 billion budget for this school year that cut about $37 million in recurring costs and 300 positions to balance the budget. The board voted 6-1 to approve the budget, which includes eliminating over 300 positions to ratchet down spending but shifting many of those employees to another position. The cuts affect office administrators and school-based employees including assistant principals, college transition advisers, school culture facilitators, and para-ed...
Jun 15, 2023•8 min•Ep. 96
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday signed into law three distracted driving bills requiring hands-free cellphone use. The bills provide exceptions such as hands-free use, emergency use, using a device’s navigation feature as long as the information isn’t entered by hand, or using a single button press, tap, or swipe to activate or deactivate a device or to select a name or phone number. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Jun 10, 2023•5 min•Ep. 95
After a 10-year hiatus, the city of Detroit must resume its $149 million annual pension payment from its 2013 bankruptcy. Stephanie Davis, communications manager with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, said the city will resume legacy pension payments by July 1 when fiscal year 2024 starts. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
Jun 09, 2023•3 min•Ep. 94
A Michigan bill aims to allow a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine levied against those who send unsolicited naked pictures to people who don’t want them. If the bill passes both chambers and is signed into law, House Bill 4535 would apply to those 18 years or older who knowingly transmit electronically to another legal adult a sexually explicit video or image if the recipient doesn’t consent to receive the item. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/...
Jun 08, 2023•3 min•Ep. 93
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a joint amicus brief alongside 21 other attorneys general to support the federal government’s prohibition of handguns and ammunition to those 21 and older. The attorneys general filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit. The amicus brief is written “on the merits,” making arguments on how the Court should have ruled on a case it already agreed to hear. The coalition argues that the Second Amendment allows for governmental regulations, such as the ...
Jun 02, 2023•6 min•Ep. 92
Increased nickel demand for electric vehicle batteries hasn’t decreased environmental concerns over the potential dangers of mining the critical mineral. Eleven percent of the world’s nickel is used for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Extracting the metal, however, raises alarms over sulfide pollutants that are a byproduct of nickel mining. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Jun 01, 2023•6 min•Ep. 91
Former Downtown Development Director Kiaira May a public servant allegedly ran up a $4,302 tab on a city government credit card for “extravagant and unnecessary indulgences.” The City of Flint says Downtown Development Director Kiaira May resigned effective May 12. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
May 26, 2023•6 min•Ep. 90
Two students sued Michigan State University officials in federal court after a professor required them to pay $99 to advance progressive political causes that conflict with the students' beliefs. The lawsuit, brought by Alliance Defending Freedom on behalf of students Nathan Barbieri and Nolan Radomski, claims that marketing professor Amy Wisner compelled each of her 600 students to pay a $99 membership fee to join a progressive political advocacy organization. Support this podcast: https://podc...
May 25, 2023•6 min•Ep. 89
The Female Athletics Integrity of Records Act was introduced last week in the Michigan House of Representatives. Otherwise known as House Bill 4546, the FAIR Act aims to require the categorization of sporting event awards, rankings, and records with each competitor’s biological sex. If signed into law, the law would apply to any publicly-funded event with clearly designated male and female competitions. Rep. Jaime Greene, R-Richmond, introduced the bill, which she sponsored along with 28 other R...
May 20, 2023•7 min•Ep. 88
Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley appears to drive a city-issued vehicle that city council members say isn’t in his contract. After city council members raised the issue last Wednesday, Flint gave The Center Square the following statement: “The City of Flint Police Department has identified credible threats and has assigned a vehicle to the Mayor’s Office to secure the safety of staff when traveling to and from events. The Flint Police Department makes it a standard practice to not discuss the details ...
May 19, 2023•6 min•Ep. 87
How can Michigan tread a path to prosperity after 50 years of population loss and another 270,000 residents projected to leave the state over the next 30 years? A new report from the Citizen’s Research Council of Michigan and Altarum says Michigan’s competitiveness with other states is in jeopardy. The state has an eroding tax base, fewer workers and more retirees, and a weak workforce to attract new employers. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/suppo...
May 18, 2023•5 min•Ep. 86
The Democrat-dominated Michigan House passed multiple budget bills for the fiscal 2023-24 year, sparking outcry from Republicans who say the roughly $80 billion budget - the most expensive in state history- is full of wasteful spending. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
May 12, 2023•8 min•Ep. 85
In Michigan, local school district evaluations stated that there were only 165 teachers out of the 115,910 evaluated in 2021-22 that were found to be "inefficient." Statistically, that translated to 0%. In fact, 99% of all Michigan public school teachers last year were rated either as "highly efficient" or "efficient," the highest two of four evaluation categories. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
May 11, 2023•10 min•Ep. 84
How hard is it to get public information out of government establishments in Michigan? Might be harder than you think. Join The Center Square's Scott McClallen and Tom Gantert on this episode of Michigan in Focus. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
May 05, 2023•10 min•Ep. 83
The Michigan House of Representatives is in favor of legislation making cocktails-to-go permanent. In a 102-5 nod of approval, the legislation would eliminate a Jan. 1, 2026 sunset date of current law enacted in response to COVID-19 closures and impact on the economy. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
May 04, 2023•5 min•Ep. 82
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation told The Center Square it would charge $16,537 for more than 45,000 pages of documents about the planned Gotion plant in Mecosta County. A Freedom of Information Act request from The Center Square fielded a response for 45,891 pages of possible related documents, which the MEDC estimated would take 406 hours to extract from its records. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Apr 28, 2023•9 min•Ep. 81
Two Michigan students sued their school district for viewpoint discrimination after they were banned from wearing apparel implicitly critical of President Joe Biden. In February 2022, two Tri County Middle School students wore sweatshirts to school with the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon,” a political slogan critical of Biden with origins in a more profane chant. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Apr 27, 2023•8 min•Ep. 80
The state of Michigan Legislature has introduced three bills that would prohibit people from holding or using a mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. House Bills 4250, 4251, 4252 were approved Wednesday by the Michigan House Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure Committee. The bills would next be voted on by the House and then, if passed, be sent to the Senate for a vote. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Apr 22, 2023•9 min•Ep. 79
On a narrow 10-9 vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved the transfer of $175 million of Michigan’s Strategic Outreach Attraction Reserve fund to the Gotion Inc. electric vehicle battery parts manufacturing facility in Mecosta County. Six Republican senators and three Democrat senators voted against the transfer. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Apr 21, 2023•5 min•Ep. 78
Developers want taxpayers to pony up to 82% of the cost of a proposed mixed-use facility in Grand Rapids called Factory Yards, located at Godfrey Avenue SW south of Market Avenue SW. The project could qualify for $103 million in Transformational Brownfield Credits and $20 million in traditional brownfield credits out of the estimated $150 million total development cost for the project, which would involve renovating existing buildings and constructing new buildings over about 15.5 acres. Support...
Apr 15, 2023•8 min•Ep. 77
A new report from the Education Law Center and the Michigan Education Association says Michigan needs $4.5 billion annually so students can achieve state academic standards. School funding adequacy refers to the funding necessary to provide students with reasonable opportunities to achieve state standards. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
Apr 14, 2023•6 min•Ep. 76
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced new proposed federal vehicle emissions standards critics claim will “effectively ban gasoline and diesel vehicles” while making the U.S. dependent on China. The EPA proposal of light and heavy-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards is for model years 2027-2032. The EPA projects that its proposal could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 56% by 2032 and help increase electric vehicle light-duty sales by 67% by 2032. Support thi...
Apr 13, 2023•7 min•Ep. 75
The city of Detroit plans to spend $45 million of one-time money to bridge the digital divide in the Motor City while employing more residents in technology work through training, internship, and certification. Within her first 45 days at work, Christine Burkette, Detroit's new digital equity director, plans to use data-driven numbers and community engagement to connect many of the 635,000 Detroiters to affordable internet access by 2026 when federal American Rescue Plan funds must be depleted. ...
Apr 08, 2023•4 min•Ep. 74
Big Rapids’ residents were undeterred after Gotion changed a town hall style meeting to online. Instead, protestors took to the streets in front of the Ferris State University building where the meeting was to take place, showing opposition to the proposed electric vehicle battery plant the company with Chinese ties plans to build. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support...
Apr 07, 2023•5 min•Ep. 73
