http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/News and notes on Michigan government by political reporter Peter Luke.enSat, 02 Aug 2008 23:02:07 -0500Movable Type Enterprise 1.52 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/noNews and notes on Michigan government by political reporter Peter Luke.1920579http://www.feedburner.comhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/354100175/granholm_could_seal_mayors_pol.htmlColumnPeter Luke | mlive.comSat, 02 Aug 2008 23:02:07 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1240747 ]]>During a big week in one of John McCain's biggest states, the news dominating Michigan might not be the Republican's nomination in Minneapolis, but Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm's hearing on whether to oust Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from office. The...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/08/granholm_could_seal_mayors_pol.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/349847180/same_old_same_old_with_michiga.htmlBreaking NewsPeter Luke | mlive.comTue, 29 Jul 2008 17:12:14 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1231218 ]]>Michigan's economic climate for the first half of 2008 is about as gloomy as forecasters suspected last spring when they prepared estimates for the budget year that begins Oct. 1. Michigan this year is expected to post its fifth straight...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/same_old_same_old_with_michiga.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/347552453/dem_proposal_misses_mark.htmlColumnElectionsPeter Luke | MLive.comSun, 27 Jul 2008 16:06:21 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1219039 ]]>A constitutional proposal to slash politician salaries, the size of the Legislature and the size of the appellate courts isn't being embraced in Lansing. Drafters at the Michigan Democratic Party like it. So do some in organized labor. But if...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/dem_proposal_misses_mark.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/345042496/suit_filed_to_block_rmgn.htmlBreaking NewsElectionsPeter Luke | mlive.comThu, 24 Jul 2008 17:14:29 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1215585 ]]>Opponents of the Michigan Democratic Party's state government reorganization plan have filed suit to keep what they say is a "constitutionally flawed" proposal off the November ballot. The lawsuit filed Thursday asks the Michigan Court of Appeals to shut down...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/suit_filed_to_block_rmgn.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/341973687/dems_say_voters_like_dem_propo.htmlBreaking NewsElectionsPeter Luke | mlive.comMon, 21 Jul 2008 17:32:29 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1201968 ]]>Proposed constitutional changes that slash the pay of elected officials, but are designed to politically benefit Democrats, enjoy strong public support, a Democratic Party poll shows. About 70 percent of 600 likely voters surveyed last week said they would vote...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/dems_say_voters_like_dem_propo.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/340379912/so_goes_the_country_so_now_goe.htmlColumnPeter Luke | mlive.comSat, 19 Jul 2008 23:17:07 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1194416 ]]>When it comes to Michigan's economy, the central question remains where the bottom is. So far this summer, the answer could be where the national economy eventually lands. It could be worse. The state no doubt remains mired in a...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/so_goes_the_country_so_now_goe.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/338520635/memo_pins_reform_proposal_on_d.htmlBreaking NewsElectionsPeter Luke | mlive.comThu, 17 Jul 2008 19:16:59 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1190971 ]]>A screen shot of the PowerPoint presentation's second slide. The political pay cut in a sweeping ballot initiative written by the Michigan Democratic Party taps voter anger to deliver "Democratic control of state government" for the coming decade, an internal...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/memo_pins_reform_proposal_on_d.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/336482599/auto_jobs_lostother_jobs_gaine.htmlBreaking NewsPeter Luke | mlive.comTue, 15 Jul 2008 16:47:06 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1183244 ]]>Despite bad news for Michigan from both General Motors Corp. and Volkswagen AG, Gov. Jennifer Granholm says the state's economic strategy is working, announcing 19 new projects estimated to create more than 7,700 direct and indirect jobs. On a day...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/auto_jobs_lostother_jobs_gaine.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/335426771/organizers_of_barack_obamas_mi.htmlElectionsPeter Luke | mlive.comMon, 14 Jul 2008 15:43:48 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1179202 ]]>Barack Obama's Michigan campaign is promising the biggest effort in state election history and one double that of John Kerry's successful effort four years ago. In a memo to supporters Monday, Michigan campaign director Amy Chapman outlined the Obama campaign's...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/organizers_of_barack_obamas_mi.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/327860720/film_credit_hit_or_flop.htmlColumnPeter Luke | mlive.comSat, 05 Jul 2008 23:06:11 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1146503 ]]>Coming to a theater near you in 2010: "Beverly Hills Cop IV" starring Eddie Murphy as Detroit police detective Axel Foley with filming reportedly to begin next year. How much of this Hollywood blockbuster will be shot in Michigan is...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/film_credit_hit_or_flop.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/327860721/ballot_signatures_to_spark_bat.htmlBreaking NewsElectionsPeter Luke | mlive.comSat, 05 Jul 2008 23:06:10 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1146465 ]]>Organizers of a sweeping ballot issue that cuts political pay, rewrites Michigan election law and shrinks both the Legislature and Supreme Court will submit signatures Monday to place the measure before voters in November. But before voters can vote, a...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/07/ballot_signatures_to_spark_bat.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/322455264/what_makes_a_fair_tax_fair.htmlColumnPeter Luke | mlive.comSat, 28 Jun 2008 23:12:52 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1129562 ]]>The Michigan Fair Tax proposal that would have swapped income and business taxes for a new 9.75-percent sales tax on goods and consumer services probably won't make this year's ballot. Organizers led by Rep. Fulton Sheen, R-Plainwell, only managed to...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/06/what_makes_a_fair_tax_fair.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/321853867/lawmakers_shell_out_bucks_for.htmlBreaking NewsEnvironmentPeter Luke | mlive.comSat, 28 Jun 2008 01:21:44 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1129560 ]]>With a barrel of oil trading above $140, Michigan's elected officials are betting millions that the state's combination of geography, manufacturing skill and university research will provide economic dividends in alternative energy. Lawmakers Saturday sent to Gov. Jennifer Granholm a...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/06/lawmakers_shell_out_bucks_for.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/318529517/agreement_reached_on_great_lak.htmlEnvironmentPeter Luke | MLive.comTue, 24 Jun 2008 10:38:16 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1111890 ]]>Gazette file photo Legislative ratification of the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact should be headed to Gov. Jennifer Granholm's desk by the end of the week. House and Senate negotiators Monday reached agreement on a companion set of regulations regarding...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/06/agreement_reached_on_great_lak.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/michigan_political_report/~3/317764736/lawmakers_poised_to_pour_cash.htmlBreaking NewsPeter Luke | mlive.comSat, 21 Jun 2008 23:16:10 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/peterluke//3589.1100336 ]]>In the quest for jobs, Michigan's efforts to keep up in the economic development arms race among the states is moving beyond tax breaks to cold hard cash. Film production incentives that are drawing dozens of movie projects to Michigan,...http://blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2008/06/lawmakers_poised_to_pour_cash.htmlnonadult