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Three localities voted to adopt ranked choice voting. But additional roadblocks remain.
Three cities in Michigan voted on Tuesday to move to a ranked choice voting system for local elections. But whether the proposals passed by voters will take effect remains uncertain. Voters in East Lansing, Kalamazoo and Royal Oak approved initiatives placed on the ballot by Rank MI Vote, a nonprofit organization modeled after Voters Not […]
Trump to UAW: Endorse me or you won’t have a union
Former President Donald Trump told United Auto Workers (UAW) leaders Wednesday that they would not have a union if they fail to endorse him in the 2024 presidential election. “They have to endorse Trump, because if they don’t, all they’re doing is committing suicide,” Trump said. UAW President Shawn Fain criticized Trump’s Wednesday night visit […]
Sen. John Fetterman to Detroit Three auto execs: How many yachts do you need?
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Saturday joined striking autoworkers outside the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich. Fetterman said he drove about five hours from Braddock, Pa., in his UAW-made Ford Bronco to get to the plant. “I always stand for the union way of life,” Fetterman said. “Whatever the unions say is […]
Bill introduced to enable digital licenses, Benson calls it a priority
Michigan could become the fifth state to enable residents to add a digital state ID to their phone under a package of bills recently introduced in the Michigan Legislature. Senate Bill 459, sponsored by state Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), would allow the Michigan secretary of state to issue a digitized version of a state identification […]
Whitmer signs executive order creating LGBTQ+ Commission during Motor City Pride
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Sunday at Motor City Pride establishing Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Commission, which is tasked with addressing health, safety and economic opportunity issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. “This issue is personal for me, and I will fight like hell to bring more diverse voices into the decision-making process so we can […]
‘A ticking bomb’: Duggan calls for overhauling Detroit’s property taxes
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan called for changes to how the city’s property taxes are calculated, proposing a tax hike on land and a tax cut on structures. During a Wednesday keynote address at the Mackinac Policy Conference, Duggan said the plan would provide relief to homeowners while penalizing land speculators. Those speculators, according to Duggan, […]
Mackinac Policy Conference 2023: That’s a wrap
Every year, hundreds of legislators, constitutional officers, lobbyists and journalists descend on Mackinac Island for a week filled with dozens of panel discussions, networking on the porch of the Grand Hotel and plenty of parties. As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reminded attendees, pacing oneself in both scheduling and alcoholic intake is important to a successful Mackinac […]
Mark Cuban trashes politics at Mackinac Conference, calls DeSantis’ feud with Disney ‘bulls–t’
Mark Cuban may own a basketball team, but he came to the Mackinac Policy Conference to hit some zingers with his address. During a conversation that lasted a little more than half an hour, Cuban took aim at former President Donald Trump and politicians writ large, including those in attendance at the policy conference where […]
Whitmer announces economic plan to attract ‘more than our fair share’ of federal resources
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveiled the first piece of her “Make it in Michigan” economic development strategy Wednesday during the first full day of the Mackinac Policy Conference. The plan consists of three pillars: projects, people and places. “These three P’s will support our long-term vision for Michigan,” Whitmer said. Whitmer focused on the first of […]
New Michigan COVID cases drop below 3,000 this week
Michigan is reporting 2,630 new COVID-19 cases, according to a weekly report the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released Tuesday. That’s a decrease from the last report issued April 26, when the state said there were 3,124 new cases for the week. A total of 3,103,644 Michiganders have tested positive for COVID-19 since […]
New Michigan COVID cases hover slightly above 3,000 in last week
Michigan is reporting 3,124 new COVID-19 cases, according to a weekly report the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released Tuesday. That’s a decrease from the last report issued April 18, when the state said there were 3,867 new cases for the week. A total of 3,101,014 Michiganders have tested positive for COVID-19 since […]
New Michigan COVID cases drop below 4,000 in last week
Michigan is reporting 3,867 new COVID-19 cases, according to a weekly report the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released Tuesday. That’s a decrease from the last report issued April 11, when the state said there were 4,646 new cases for the week. A total of 3,097,890 Michiganders have tested positive for COVID-19 since […]