But, in a year when a referendum for the November ballot is being met with success state wide, this move by the Michigan legislature is an attempt to keep their seats.
Snyder has a significant lead over his opponent, but, it isn't double digits nor close to 50% and Snyder is worried about his election day luster. He is coining the minimum wage law as a bipartisan compromise from the legislature. With the federal government on lock down by the Republicans the state's new law is welcome, however, the petition was to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour with future increases based on cost of living. This law pre-empts the November referendum and nearly accuses the petitioners of unilateral focus rather than appreciating a bipartisan solution.
Governor Snyder is also portraying himself as the man who saved Detroit. Not. I can't count the number of lawsuits filed in order to have the legislature 'do something.'
Snyder has a significant lead over his opponent, but, it isn't double digits nor close to 50% and Snyder is worried about his election day luster. He is coining the minimum wage law as a bipartisan compromise from the legislature. With the federal government on lock down by the Republicans the state's new law is welcome, however, the petition was to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour with future increases based on cost of living. This law pre-empts the November referendum and nearly accuses the petitioners of unilateral focus rather than appreciating a bipartisan solution.
Governor Snyder is also portraying himself as the man who saved Detroit. Not. I can't count the number of lawsuits filed in order to have the legislature 'do something.'
Published On: May 27 2014 06:17:54 PM EDT
Updated On: May 28 2014 12:17:59 PM EDT
The House and Senate passed the bill Tuesday, one day before a group of labor and community organizers planned to submit hundreds of thousands of petition signatures calling for a Michigan ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.
The current hourly minimum wage is $7.40....The facts of the matter is that the Governor should have acted to bring about a state rescue package before he began hacking away at Detroit's assets. The measure to provide Detroit with rehab funding is far to long overdue. The fact is Detroit was addressing it's problems long before Snyder arrived. There is no denying corruption played a role in some of Detroit's problems and to that end there were investigations and prosecutions.
Gov. Snyder simply came in with his emergency manager and started to hack away at the city more than already had deteriorated. What is left now is for the city to receive the funding it was due years ago to protect it's pensions and the city's assets.
If anyone believes Michiganders like the Emergency Manager laws, there is this that disputes Snyder's draconian episodes.
Published On: May 28 2014 06:32:52 PM EDTUpdated On: May 29 2014 02:54:59 AM EDT
According to an exclusive Local 4/Detroit News poll, (click here) just 36.8% of Michigan voters would support a tax increase to fund improved road maintenance.
A plurality of voters, 45.5%, would not support a tax increase to pay for roads because they believe enough money is already budgeted for road maintenance but it needs to be more wisely spent. Another 15% of voters also oppose a tax increase, saying lawmakers need to find money somewhere else to fix roads, even if it means less money for other priorities like schools or health care....
Most citizens of Michigan want their public schools back and will pay higher taxes to achieve it. The Emergency Manager laws should be eradicated considering the citizens are this interested in supporting public schools.
By a 59.5%-26.2% margin, voters chose schools over roads as the greater priority.
Who ever runs for office in Michigan this year, if they promise to repeal the Emergency Manager laws and refund public schools they will win elections.
10:40 AM, May 3, 2014
Lawmakers are balking at plans (click here) to give Common Core-based exams to kids in Michigan schools next school year, pushing for a pause of the tests expected to replace assessments the state has used for nearly 45 years.
The legislative pushback against Gov. Rick Snyder, the state Education Department, business community and some education groups leaves in doubt what standardized test will be given to some 800,000 students in grades 3-8 and 11th. And there’s little time to resolve the conflict before legislators finalize the next state budget in a month....
...After vigorous debate last year, the Republican-led Legislature let Michigan continue transitioning to the new standards despite multi-dimensional opposition from conservatives and some liberals. But lawmakers hesitated over funding the Smarter Balanced tests expected to replace Michigan Educational Assessment Program exams. Their concerns remain....
