Michigan
Dems could cut you a check; primary palooza: Your guide to Michigan politics
🍾 Pleased Sunday! Hope you’re thawing out from a cold week. 🥶 Of us within the Decrease Peninsula will fortunately take pleasure in some 40-degree days subsequent week.
Till then, a piping-hot week of reports saved the MLive politics crew heat, so let’s dive in.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders introduced late Friday they reached a deal on tax cuts, and extra specifics ought to come subsequent week.
🧠 What we all know: The deal delivers “inflation aid checks to all Michigan taxpayers,” per a joint assertion.
- There may even be a repeal of taxes on most retirement revenue, plus an growth of the Earned Earnings Tax Credit score.
- It’s a part of the Reducing MI Prices plan that Whitmer teased in a statewide handle final week.
🗣️ “Proper now, inflation has pushed the fee up on on a regular basis items, which is squeezing family budgets and forcing households to forego requirements,” leaders mentioned.
- “That’s why they despatched us to Lansing to decrease prices and put more cash again into folks’s pockets.”
A earlier thought from Whitmer proposed placing $800 million into an financial improvement fund to keep away from triggering a 2015 legislation that will robotically roll again the revenue tax.
- Sources near negotiations instructed MLive that got here off the desk.
- The deal will contain both paper checks or a direct deposit to taxpayers’ financial institution accounts, these sources mentioned.
The opposite facet: Democrats’ deal is a “ploy to distract folks from the everlasting revenue tax rollback [Whitmer’s] blocking,” mentioned state Rep. Sarah Lightner, R-Springport.
➕ Additionally see: In search of some tax aid? Your blood may maintain the reply.
The Democratic trifecta’s first new legislation added $1.1 billion this week to Michigan’s present finances, largely made attainable by COVID-19 aid cash.
The place does it go? The biggest chunk, $200 million, is predicted to maintain a paper mill open within the Higher Peninsula.
- There’s additionally $75 million to demolish vacant buildings, $75 million to assist small companies harm by the pandemic and $50 million for reasonably priced housing.
🗣️ “We’re taking a step ahead to develop our financial system, spend money on our communities, and construct a brighter future right here in Michigan,” mentioned Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
- “… It’s simply the beginning of a really productive 12 months and productive time period and I can’t wait to see what we’re going to get completed.”
The opposite facet: Republicans mentioned Democrats weren’t clear of their fast shifting of the funding invoice via the legislature.
The Democratic Nationwide Committee on Saturday authorised a brand new order for the primary 5 presidential primaries:
- Feb. 3: South Carolina
- Feb. 6: Nevada and New Hampshire
- Feb. 13: Georgia
- Feb. 27: ✨Michigan✨
The small print: This alteration for 2024 boots Iowa as the primary state in favor of locations that replicate the nation’s political and ethnic make-up.
- “With the DNC’s stamp of approval, our presidential nominating course of will now replicate the range of our nation and Michiganders’ voices will probably be heard,” Michigan Democratic Chair Lavora Barnes mentioned.
However there’s a catch: Gov. Whitmer signed a invoice this week shifting the first date, however it might probably solely go into impact 90 days after the legislature adjourns for the 12 months.
- Lawmakers now should be out of Lansing by Nov. 29 as a substitute of their traditional late December.
🐘 Republicans are usually not pleased. The nationwide GOP doesn’t wish to change its main election order, and Michigan’s penalty can be 9 delegates to the nationwide conference as a substitute of 55.
- That’s huge, contemplating the Republican main would be the solely aggressive one if President Joe Biden runs for reelection like he’s anticipated.
There was discuss of holding two primaries – one Feb. 27 and one in mid-March – however Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson estimated that will value $500 million.
Talking of the first, voting will look completely different than the final time you solid a poll.
The large change: As a result of Prop 2 handed in November, Michigan should implement early in-person voting by 2024. That’s 9 days when you may stroll right into a voting sales space earlier than Election Day.
- Different modifications embrace extra poll drop containers, state-funded absentee poll postage and optionally available everlasting absentee registration.
💲 How a lot will all of it value? Between $30-$50 million, SOS Benson instructed lawmakers this week.
- That’s $20-$30 million for locals and $20 million for the state (together with postage, drop containers and tech upgrades).
🗣️ “The perfect factor you all can do to assist make our elections safer is be certain that we’re working collectively to have the funds that we have to meet the second,” Benson mentioned.
Tight timeline: Democratic leaders are already speaking to clerks and drafting payments, and in the event that they transfer quick sufficient you would possibly see some locations check early in-person voting this 12 months.
- Extra employees and voting machines will probably be wanted, however Benson additionally requested that municipalities inside a county have the ability to crew up at early voting hubs to avoid wasting prices.
Benson’s different requests:
- Enable absentee poll tabulation throughout early voting days.
- Make it a felony to threaten or harass election officers.
- Prohibit “the intentional spreading of false details about elections.”
Because the nation reels from the brutal police killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, lawmakers in Michigan are on the lookout for options.
The small print: The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus desires new legal guidelines that handle police brutality.
- Nichols was pulled from his automobile throughout a site visitors cease final month and overwhelmed by 5 officers. He died within the hospital.
🗣️ “This inhumanity, this injustice, this pernicious sacrifice of black our bodies is neither new nor distinctive,” mentioned Sen. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor. “… It retains taking place. It’s time for us to acknowledge: That is the system that’s.”
What may occur? Lawmakers would possibly take into account insurance policies like banning no-knock warrants or ensuring officers’ disciplinary information observe them to future police departments.
- Some police reform payments had been launched final 12 months by each Democrats and Republicans however didn’t get far.
“There will probably be no justice with out accountability,” Geiss mentioned.
➕ Go deeper: Grand Rapids protesters name for police convictions after Tyre Nichols, Patrick Lyoya deaths
5 extra tales from MLive:
💸 Lobbyist spending in Lansing hit file excessive in 2022
😡 Conservative politics, alleged racism and $12.5M divide Northern Michigan county
🧱 ‘At what value?’ Michigan communities struggle mega websites regardless of promise of jobs
💉 Pfizer denies extensively seen declare it mutates coronavirus for vaccine improvement
🍺 Has Michigan’s craft beer market gone flat?
Michigan
Two Michigan high schools ranked among best in U.S.
(CBS DETROIT) – Two Michigan high schools have are considered among the best in the country, according to recent rankings from U.S. News & World Report.
International Academy in Oakland County ranked No. 8 on the list of the best high schools in the country, while International Academy of Macomb ranked No. 13.
U.S. News & World Report ranked nearly 18,000 schools based on various factors, including college readiness, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rate.
Oakland County’s International Academy’s main campus is in Bloomfield Hills, and two other campuses are in White Lake Township and Troy. There are 1,351 students enrolled at the school.
It’s a public magnet school with an International Baccalaureate curriculum. According to its website, it is the “second largest IB Diploma granting high school in the world.”
The International Academy of Macomb, also a public magnet high school, is located in Clinton Township and has 446 students currently enrolled, according to the ranking. It serves students in Macomb County school districts.
Students at both schools scored top marks in mathematics, reading and science on state-required tests and AP and IB exams.
While these were the Michigan schools that ranked the highest nationally, several Metro Detroit schools made the list of best high schools in Michigan.
Top 10 best high schools in Michigan
- International Academy, Bloomfield Hills
- International Academy of Macomb, Clinton Township
- City High Middle School, Grand Rapids
- Washtenaw International High School, Ypsilanti
- Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy, Saginaw
- Troy High School, Troy
- Northville High School, Northville
- Rochester Adams High School, Rochester Hills
- East Grand Rapids High School, Grand Rapids
- Skyline High School, Ann Arbor
Michigan
Michigan State Police give out free gun locks to protect children from unsecured firearms
LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – The State of Michigan is taking measures to protect children from unsecured firearms.
Gun owners can now get free gun locks from local health departments. The state will distribute gun locks from now until June.
State police used state funds to purchase 75k cable-style gun locks.
In Michigan in 2020, firearm injuries became the leading cause of death among children. In 2024, a new law was passed requiring gun owners to keep firearms locked and unloaded when around children.
You could be charged with a crime if you fail to comply with Michigan’s safe storage law.
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Michigan
Two Michigan high schools rank among nation’s best, state ranking drops to 31st
National school rankings announced Tuesday revealed mixed news for Michigan: One of its high schools made the top ten list but the state’s ranking among other states slipped five spots to 31st place.
Two Michigan high schools — the International Academy of Oakland and the International Academy of Macomb —ranked eighth and 18th respectively in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 edition of best overall high schools.
The set of new, national high school rankingswere announced by the media company on Tuesday. The rankings evaluate nearly 17,660 public high schools at the national, state and local levels and include national and state rankings, plus Best STEM, charter and magnet high schools.
Michigan saw its state rank — compared to other states which have the largest proportion of their high schools in the top 25% of the 2024 Best High Schools rankings — drop to 31st, compared to 26th last year.
With 673 schools evaluated, Michigan had one high school in the top ten national overall ranking, one school in the top five of magnet high schools and no schools in the top five for charter high schools or STEM high schools.
The International Academy of Oakland’s was one of five schools new to the national overall Top Ten list this year after placing 54th last year. The IA of Oakland is a tuition-free countywide magnet school that educates about 1,392 students. It is run by a consortium of 13 Oakland County districts. To get into the school, students must enter a lottery and take a placement test.
The International Academy of Macomb, which is run by the Macomb Intermediate School District, also ranked fifth on the list of best magnet high schools, while Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in Saginaw public schools ranked 59th. Magnet high schools are public high schools that offer specialized courses, designed around a theme, and any student in the designated region can attend, the report said.
The highest ranked public schools on the list are those whose students achieved top scores on state assessments for math, reading and science, a press release said. These schools also had strong underserved student performance, college readiness and curriculum breadth, as well as graduation rates, officials said.
“The 2024 Best High Schools rankings offer a starting point for parents to understand a school’s academic performance, whether it’s a prospective school or one that their child is already attending,” LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at U.S. News, said. “Accessible data on our high schools can empower families across the country as they navigate today’s educational environment and plan for the future.”
College readiness specifically measures participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, and underserved student performance focuses on students who are Black, Hispanic or from low-income households. The rankings include demographic information on schools ranked in the top 5%, 10% and 25%.
Michigan ranked 31st in a comparison of states with the highest percentage of top-ranked public high schools, dropping five spots from its ranking last year of 26th when it tied with Kentucky.
More: Top Michigan high schools ranked by SAT scores
According to the report, of the 673 high schools rated Michigan had 3.7% or 25 school ranked in the top 5% percent nationally, 54 schools in the top 10% nationally and 147 schools in the top 25% nationally.
Massachusetts ranked first among states this year, with 43.9% of its eligible high schools were in the top 25% of the rankings. Connecticut came in second with 42.9% of its schools in the top 25%, New Jersey in third with 42.1%, Maryland in fourth with 39% and Florida in fifth place with 37.4%.
Along with the national rankings, U.S. News also published rankings at the state, metro and school district levels. These sub-rankings only included metro areas and school districts with three or more high schools.
jchambers@detroitnews.com
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