Saturday, June 02, 2012

Michigan Republicans approving what they call 'cautious' state government budget

Michigan Republicans approving what they call 'cautious' state government budget | MLive.com
Overall, the combined budgets are projected at $48.5 billion – up 1.25 percent when all sources, including federal money, are counted.
The measure that got final approval Thursday, which could soon be headed to Gov. Rick Snyder for his consideration, covers most of the spending.
"The watchword of this budget is 'cautious optimism,'" said Rep. Chuck Moss, R-Birmingham, and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
"We are not out of the woods yet," Moss said, "... but things are slowly but surely getting better."
Democrats blasted the spending plan, saying it doesn't do enough for low-income and working families.
Some Democrats also say the budget plan could allow pay raises for certain appointees in Snyder's administration.

Rep. Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit, said the budget in part is being balanced on the "backs of the poor" and the social safety net programs they depend on.

Muskegon County jail committee interviews consultants, leans toward 'fresh eyes'

Muskegon County jail committee interviews consultants, leans toward 'fresh eyes' | MLive.com
A consulting team consisting of firms from Indianapolis and Kalamazoo appear to have the inside track to help lead Muskegon County in its quest to replace its jail and juvenile transition center.
RQAW and Byce engineering and architectural firms, who have vast experience together on correctional facilities, received the most vocal support from the county’s Jail and Juvenile Transition Center Committee.
RQAW/Byce was one of four consultant groups interviewed by the committee Thursday.

Vocational education students need algebra 2, foreign languages, say state Board of Education members

Vocational education students need algebra 2, foreign languages, say state Board of Education members | MLive.com

Potential Muskegon County jail consultant: Expansion of current facility worst option

Potential Muskegon County jail consultant: Expansion of current facility worst option | MLive.com
Joseph Mrak, owner of Indianapolis-based RQAW, basically told the Muskegon County Jail and Juvenile Transition Center Committee on Thursday that the expansion option would be the worst for the county in the long run.
Mrak, who was responding to County Commissioner Scott Plummer’s question about the expansion option, admitted that it would be the least expensive initially, but it would cost more in the long run to operate the jail.
He pointed out that any addition to the existing jail – which has been described as too small, outdated and a liability – would result in additional staff being needed.
“The operational costs would kill you,” Mrak said.
Mrak pointed out that the other two options, new construction or adaptive reuse of an existing structure, could result in less staff and reduced operational costs despite being a larger facility.

Divided minds: Downtown Muskegon promoters split over Shoreline Market proposal

Divided minds: Downtown Muskegon promoters split over Shoreline Market proposal | MLive.com
That difference of opinion is just one of the underlying arguments that will play out in the coming weeks and months as Shoreline Market proposal is publicly explored and debated. The process starts June 14 when a site plan goes before the Muskegon Planning Commission.
Count Muskegon City Commissioner Larry Spataro – who also is a planning commissioner – as in the “more the merrier” camp.
“It is all about creating critical mass,” Spataro said encouraging more development downtown. “We want to create a destination.”

Cruising tunes for the car show (Virtual concert)

Cruising tunes for the car show (Virtual concert) | MLive.com
A total of 179 people participated in the poll.
• First place went to "Little Deuce Coupe" by the Beach Boys, with 31 percent of the vote or 55 votes.
• Second place: Born to be Wild, Steppenwolf, 1967, 16 percent, 29 votes.
• Third place: Radar Love, Golden Earring, 1974, 12 percent, 23 votes.
• Fourth place (tie): Little Old Lady from Pasadena, Jan and Dean, 1964, 10 percent, 18 votes
• Fourth place (tie): Lowrider by WAR, 1975, 10 percent, 18 votes.
• Fifth place: Highway to Hell, ACDC, 1979, 9 percent, 16 votes.

Muskegon superintendent 'cautiously optimistic' about state school aid

Muskegon superintendent 'cautiously optimistic' about state school aid | MLive.com
As a result, the district’s projected $5.7 million budget deficit for next year probably is closer to $2 million, Felske said.
That means concessions from district unions will be needed since the district’s fund balance is around $700,000, he said.

Bluffton school eyed for regional math and science center

Bluffton school eyed for regional math and science center | MLive.com
Felske said he can envision student science experiments and summer camps being conducted at the school.
“Because of its correlation to the water, it has its own sand dune on the premises, it has its own nature trail, sure I think it would lend itself (to a math and science center),” Felske said.

Muskegon County bus system to conduct two community forums in June

Muskegon County bus system to conduct two community forums in June | MLive.com
The county is in the midst of several changes to the bus system.
During the last few years, evening hours of service, permanent bus stops marked by signs, development of Mobility Management program to better coordinate all transportation programs in the community and addition of a second summer trolley route have all been implemented.
In addition, county officials also have had discussions concerning the possible expansion of the bus system to the White Lake area and the eastern portion of the county...
The forums are scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. June 13 at Muskegon City Hall, 933 Terrace, and 7 to 9 p.m. June 26 at Muskegon Heights City Hall, 2724 Peck.

Montague employees to pay more for health insurance, contribute to retirement

Montague employees to pay more for health insurance, contribute to retirement | MLive.com
The city will pay a maximum of $5,500 toward an individual health insurance plan, $11,000 for two people and $15,000 for a family.
That will translate into employees paying 15.25 percent to 19.13 percent of the costs of their insurance, depending on the number of people they choose to insure, Montague City Manager John French said.

Wisconsin recall vote to resonate in presidential race

Wisconsin recall vote to resonate in presidential race | Reuters
Wisconsin has not backed a Republican in a presidential election since it went for Ronald Reagan in 1984, but Republicans hope a recall win will demoralize Democrats and sharply boost Romney's hopes.

Most recent polls have shown Walker ahead of Barrett, who is the mayor of Milwaukee, by about 7 percentage points in the recall election. But in a reflection of how difficult it can be to read the political tea leaves in a "swing" state such as Wisconsin, polls have shown Obama ahead of Romney by 6 to 10 points.
Obama easily captured Wisconsin by 14 percentage points in the 2008 election, when he defeated Republican John McCain. Two years later, Republicans in Wisconsin roared back to elect Walker, defeat Democratic U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and take over the state legislature.

Americans Have No Idea How Few Gay People There Are

Politics - Garance Franke-Ruta - Americans Have No Idea How Few Gay People There Are - The Atlantic
Only 4 percent of all those surveyed in 2011 and about 8 percent of those surveyed in 2002 correctly guessed that fewer than 5 percent of Americans identify as gay or lesbian.

Legislature Dodges Pension Reform, But Passes Bill On … Miniature Horses

Legislature Dodges Pension Reform, But Passes Bill On … Miniature Horses « CBS Chicago
An overhaul of future state pension benefits for retired public employees was the centerpiece of the spring legislative session, but it collapsed late Thursday just before the deadline to adjourn. Illinois government has underfunded pensions by tens of billions of dollars.

Cutting-edge container construction at the heart Muskegon's proposed Shoreline Market

Cutting-edge container construction at the heart Muskegon's proposed Shoreline Market | MLive.com: Community leaders in February were told by a national urban development consultant that the Morris Street parking lot is a key link between downtown Muskegon and the waterfront.
IntermodalA Starbucks in the Seattle area is constructed with several steel cargo containers.
“We have to create something different,” Howard Kohn told those gathered by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, which owns the parking lot.
“It has to create a buzz and that will probably be controversial.”

Improvised Explosive Device Tax

Review & Outlook: Improvised Explosive Device Tax - WSJ.com
The 2.3% levy applies to the sale of everything from cardiac defibrillators to artificial joints to MRI scanners.
The device tax is supposed to raise $28.5 billion from 2013 to 2022, and it is especially harmful because it applies to gross sales, not profits.
Companies at make-or-break margins could be taxed out of existence, especially in an intensely competitive industry where four of five businesses are start-ups or midsized.

Friday, June 01, 2012

HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA?

Instapundit » Blog Archive » HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA? (CONT’D)
"Unemployment Rate Rises to 8.2%.“American employers in May added the smallest number of workers in a year and the unemployment rate unexpectedly increased as job-seekers re-entered the workforce, further evidence that the labor-market recovery is stalling.”
Unexpectedly!
More: “The dismal jobs figures could fan fears that the economy is sputtering.”
Ya think?
UPDATE: “This is just brutal no matter how you look at it. But how can these ‘experts’ and ‘economists’ be so far off in their forecasts?
Not even half of what they expected.”
ANOTHER UPDATE: Dan Mitchell:“At best, the results are mediocre.
The unemployment rate generally gets the most attention, and that was bad news since the joblessness rate jumped to 8.2 percent.
What makes that number particularly painful is that the Obama Administration claimed that the unemployment rate today would be less than 6 percent if the so-called stimulus was adopted.
But as you can see from the chart, squandering $800 billion on a Keynesian package hasn’t worked.”

He continues: “Sort of makes you wonder whether there’s a lesson to be learned. Maybe, just maybe, bigger government means weaker economic performance.”
Ya think?
Related: “The May jobs numbers are putrid.”
Plus: “There’s nowhere to hide on this one.”

Muskegon's Pere Marquette to host Michigan's first beach polo event June 9

Muskegon's Pere Marquette to host Michigan's first beach polo event June 9 | Lake Effect.                    
The first Michigan beach polo event at Pere Marquette Park June 9 will raise funds for Spectrum Health's Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids. Organizers hope to create an annual event that will grow in coming years.

DC Comics Green Lantern relaunched as gay superhero

DC Comics Green Lantern relaunched as gay superhero - NYPOST.com
One of DC Comics oldest heroes is super-coming out.
The original Green Lantern - a DC Comics mainstay for the past 70 years - will be revealed to be a gay man in next week's issue of "Earth 2."

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Gov. Snyder pushes for drug courts in public safety address

Gov. Snyder pushes for drug courts in public safety address | MLive.com:
Drug courts was a topic that brought applause from many officers in the audience.
Snyder said intensive drug courts programs to address addiction problems are important because drugs are often a root of criminal behavior.

HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA?

Instapundit » Blog Archive » 
HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA? (CONT’D): Jobless claims rise for 4th straight week.

Related: Economy in U.S. Expanded Less Than Previously Estimated.“Gross domestic product climbed at a 1.9 percent annual rate from January through March, down from a 2.2 percent prior estimate, revised Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The report also showed corporate profits rose at the slowest pace in more than three years and smaller wage gains at the end of 2011.”
UPDATE: A longtime reader emails:
Please do not use my name, but…
I work at a large semiconductor company who does a LOT of business with Chinese firms (odds are many is not most of the electronic devices you have that say “made in China” on it buys it’s most expensive parts from us). recently orders have dropped precipitously. We are expecting to reduce the workforce before the end of the quarter by dropping contractor (temp) labor. We are entering what for the semiconductor industry is the Christmas sales season and the orders are going DOWN! Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Oh, I am.