M.E.G.A. RECIPIENT ARRESTED ON PAROLE VIOLATION

In a significant embarrassment for Governor Jennifer Granholm, the CEO of a company winning a $9.1 million Michigan Economic Growth Authority tax credit on Tuesday was arrested Wednesday for a parole violation after it was revealed that CEO Richard Short had been convicted for embezzlement.

GRANHOLM ROASTED OVER 'MEATOUT DAY'

Agriculture boosters, Republicans, some Democrats, meat enthusiasts and vegetarian bashers did the political equivalent Wednesday of putting Governor Jennifer Granholm on a spit over her designation of Saturday as Michigan Meatout Day.

FIREWORKS POPPED TO SUPPORT D.E.L.E.G.

Fireworks that are currently illegal in Michigan would no longer be so and people who sold them would be charged a fee under a revenue assumption made in the House subcommittee version of the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth budget.

M.S.P. BUDGET INCLUDES TICKET HIKE; CLOSES DETROIT POST

Traffic tickets issued in Michigan would cost $5 more under a House subcommittee budget recommendation for the Department of State Police that uses the $6 million in expected revenue to cover a series of programs.

7 BUDGETS CLEAR SENATE APPROPRIATIONS WITH FEW CHANGES

Movement toward Senate passage of its originated budgets took a big step forward Wednesday when the Appropriations Committee approved on mostly party-line votes all seven budget bills with no major changes.

PAY RAISE FOR STATE WORKERS LOOKS SAFE AFTER LATEST VOTE

With the Senate failing for a second time Wednesday to rescind the 3 percent raise scheduled to take effect October 1 for union-represented state employees, it appears more and more likely that those workers will get the pay hike.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET LEFT IN LIMBO

A vote on a general government budget that includes a cut to local revenue sharing will have to wait another day as the House Appropriations Committee dropped the measure Wednesday after the subcommittee version failed to be adopted.

POLL: REPUBLICANS STILL LEAD GOVERNOR'S RACE

The leading four Republican candidates for governor are performing better among the voters than Democrats, according to a new poll on the race released Wednesday.

BIZ LEADERS REPORT: STATE BUSINESS CLIMATE UNCOMPETITIVE

Labor costs and business taxes pushed the cost of running a company in Michigan to be 4 percent above the national average, according to a benchmark study released Wednesday by the Business Leaders for Michigan. But while the state's gross domestic product has eroded significantly over the past few years and unemployment is higher here than anywhere else, Michigan does have several bright spots, including a skilled workforce and lower cost of living, the report found.

SENATE OKS MONEY TO PAY FOR 'RACE TO THE TOP' STAFF

The Department of Education would receive $492,800 to pay for 13 new staffers to administer the education reforms made when the state passed bills last year as part of its effort to win federal "Race to the Top" funds under a bill unanimously passed Wednesday by the Senate.

SENATE OKS ALLOWING RETIRED CORRECTIONS HEALTH WORKERS TO RETURN

The Senate easily passed a bill Wednesday that would reverse course slightly on a law banning state employees from receiving a salary and pension at the same time by allowing the Department of Corrections to hire back retired health care workers as long as they received money on a per diem basis with no benefits. HB 4248 passed 37-1.

AG. COMMISSION CONCERNED OVER BUDGET

The Agriculture Commission is no longer head of the Department of Agriculture, but members of the commission said Wednesday they need to be involved in pushing for more funding for the department.

HOUSE TAX PANEL MULLS ERASING TAX EXEMPTIONS

The House Tax Policy Committee on Wednesday wrestled with a series of bills that would eliminate many business tax exemptions to raise more money for local governments and schools. While proponents of the legislation said tight times call for a review of every exemption and a recall of those that aren't absolutely justified, they faced challenges from some that said raising taxes on businesses would make Michigan less competitive. Rep. Brian Calley (R-Portland) said he opposes all five bills before the panel (HB 5420, HB 5391, HB 5392, HB 5393 and HB 5490) because some concern exists that repealing them would make Michigan less competitive against other states.

HOUSE LABOR DEBATES USING CREDIT HISTORY FOR HIRING

The House Labor Committee on Wednesday discussed, but didn't take action on a bill that would prohibit most employers from using credit reports to make hiring decisions or otherwise penalize employees. HB 4528 would allow specified employers such as banks or casinos to still check credit, but would reduce a growing trend of employers using poor credit as a reason to hire when it seemingly has no relation to the type of employment at issue, said bill sponsor Rep. Jon Switalski (D-Warren).

PACKAGE ALLOWS LOCAL TRANSIT FINANCE

Local governments would be able to use traditional economic development finance tools to fund transit development under a package of bills to be introduced this week. The package would also require communities to include at least consideration of transit as they develop new master plans, supporters said on unveiling the plan Wednesday.

ROBERTS URGES CARE IF FISCAL YEAR IS CHANGED

Officials eager to require the state to complete its budget by July 1, or switch the state's fiscal year back to a July 1 through June 30 calendar need to take care and make sure they are aware of all the implications, said former Treasurer Doug Roberts at a Wednesday event.
Mr. Roberts was a state official in 1975 when the state extended its fiscal year and switched it to the October 1 to September 30 fiscal year under which it now operates, and said switching back could cause the state short-term cash flow problems.

REPUBLICANS CONTINUE CALL FOR CHILD CARE UNION INFO

House Republicans continued their call Wednesday for more information on the Home Based Child Care Council with another letter to Human Services Director Ismael Ahmed on the program they argued had been canceled in the current year budget. The letter from Rep. John Proos (R-St. Joseph) and Rep. David Agema (R-Grandville) submitted seven questions to Mr. Ahmed dated Wednesday they said had yet to be answered since the program continues to operate and union dues continue to be collected from operators despite the Legislature having eliminated funding for the council.

COURT EXAMINES NEEDED WORDING FOR INSURANCE DENIALS

In order for an insurance company to deny paying damages from an automobile accident in which an uninsured person was driving, the company must have included the exact exclusion language in the governing statute on all of the documents described in the law, the Court of Appeals said Wednesday in a published opinion that was a matter of first impression.

SENATE COMMITTEE BEGINS LOOK AT GOVERNOR'S RETIREMENT PLAN

The Senate Appropriations Retirement Subcommittee began its review Wednesday of Governor Jennifer Granholm's proposal to encourage state employees and teachers to retire as a way of shedding costs.

PURE MICHIGAN

The House may take up legislation Thursday that would provide funding for the "Pure Michigan" advertising campaign just before the deadline to buy summer ads. The House has proposed using use tax revenue and a $2.50 tax on cars rented near airports to fund the tourism campaign long term, but the Senate has proposed using one-time monies to continue the program this year.

Source : Gongwer News Service : Michigan Report, Volume #49, Report 51, March 7, 2010. Full access requires a subscription or a visit to a subscribing library such as the Michigan State University Main Library.

Assessors and local governments in Michigan are urging the state Supreme Court to take a case that limits their ability to collect more property tax revenue.

In December, the Michigan Court of Appeals said it was illegal to uncap the taxable value of a property after the death of a joint owner. Local governments say a loophole is now on the books, and they claim critical public services will be at risk if the decision stands and tax revenue falls.

For the full article, see "Mich. Supreme Ct. urged to take tax case", Detroit News, March 17, 2010.

Lawmakers must act quickly to reform public employee retirement and they "should have the courage" to decide whether to extend the sales tax to services to pay for education, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said today.

The governor has proposed a plan to entice up to 47,000 state employees and teachers to retire. Bills have been introduced to enact the proposal and legislative committees are beginning hearings.

"I strongly urge action, particularly on the school side," Granholm said at a Lansing news conference. She's looking at an April 15 to May 15 window for employees to decide whether to retire so school districts and the state can plan for the future.

For the full article, see Mark Hornbeck, "Granholm urges speed on plan to spur public employee retirements", Detroit News, March 17, 2010.

Those television ads promoting Michigan's lakes and summer shorelines may never run for the upcoming tourist season if lawmakers don't act soon, Michigan Economic Development Corp. CEO Greg Main warned Tuesday.

Main said the state is losing the window to buy time for the ads to run.

"There's not much wiggle room. April is already sold out," Main said. "Pretty soon May is going to be sold, and if May is sold, then you might as well not have a campaign, because May is the time when people start making their plans on where they're going to vacation this summer."

For the full article, see Kathy Barks Hoffman, "Lawmakers on the clock for summer tourism ads; Time is running short to fund Pure Michigan", Lansing State Journal, March 17,2010.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm's proposal to cut prison sentences for well-behaved inmates failed its first test in the Legislature on Tuesday.

The plan to restore so-called good time credits for prisoners was left out of a 2010-11 budget adopted by a Senate subcommittee, along with $130 million in savings the administration forecast from closing four or five prisons.

The Senate alternative assumed savings instead from canceling a scheduled 3% raise for state employees and ordering the Michigan Department of Corrections to implement other cost-cutting. But the prison budget adopted by the subcommittee still came in at nearly $2 billion -- $32 million higher than Granholm's original proposal.

For the full article, see Dawson Bell, "Plan to restore prison credits fails 1st test", Detroit Free Press, March 17, 2010.

The Library of Michigan is expanding its efforts to help small and rural libraries boost their on line presence.

More than 40 Michigan libraries have applied to join a program called Plinkit that allows them to set up a Web site providing easily updated information to the public as well as access to their catalogs.

The state says some of those libraries will get Web sites through the program starting this spring.

The pilot project involved the Constantine Township Library in St. Joseph County, New Buffalo Township Public Library in Berrien County, Homer Public Library, Vernon District Public Library and the library in Belding.

Following on the heels of four Info Stops around the state to promote
Plinkit, more than 40 Michigan libraries have applied to have a Plinkit
site. The Library of Michigan plans to begin adding new libraries this
spring.

Plinkit is funded in part by the Institute of Museum and Library
Services through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

Ongoing information about Michigan's progress with the Plinkit project
can be found at: http://michlibrary.org/

For the full article, see "Michigan expands Web help for small, rural libraries", Detroit Free Press, March 17, 2010.

GRANHOLM: IF LAWMAKERS WON'T VOTE ON TAXES, PUBLIC SHOULD

Lawmakers should have the courage to vote on a proposal to extend the sales tax to services, Governor Jennifer Granholm said, but if they do not, then they should put the proposal to the voters.

CORRECTIONS GETS MORE MONEY UNDER SENATE BUDGET

The state's corrections system would get more money for substance abuse programs, jail reimbursement to local governments and programs to assist released inmates with their return to society under a budget unanimously approved Tuesday by a Senate subcommittee.

SUBSTANCE VS. SCHEDULING DEBATED ON WORKER RETIREMENT

Whether the governor's retirement proposal for state and school employees should be taken up quickly or not taken up at all because of its substance, or if the bill sponsors will be happy with the final product was up for debate as the House Oversight and Investigations Committee held its first hearing on the package Tuesday.

AS CONGRESS NEARS HEALTH CARE ACTION, SENATE NIXES OPT-OUT

A proposal designed to allow Michigan not to participate in the federal health care legislation moving toward approval in Congress failed to pass the Senate on Tuesday.

OFFICIAL: DON'T MERGE COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS

Merging what's left of state financial aid for college students into a single need-based program would be unfair to those who attend independent colleges and universities, the head of the state association told a House subcommittee on Tuesday.

BISHOP NOT CONCEDING 3% STATE WORKER PAY RAISE

The votes don't seem to exist to repeal a 3 percent raise scheduled for October for union-represented state employees, but Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop said he has not given up.

COX TAKES ON HOEKSTRA T.A.R.P. VOTE

U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra has not sufficiently explained his support for the federal Troubled Asset Relief Program and several federal budgets that increased spending, Attorney General Mike Cox said Tuesday in a spat between the two GOP gubernatorial candidates.

NEED ACTION ON 'PURE MICHIGAN' IN TWO WEEKS, MAIN SAYS

If lawmakers do not make a decision on finding a funding source for the state's "Pure Michigan" ads in the next two weeks, the state might lose out on buying ad space for the summer season, Michigan Economic Development Corporation President Greg Main warned on Tuesday.

HOUSE PANEL FURTHER CUTS TRANSPORTATION FUNDS

Governor Jennifer Granholm had already proposed a smaller transportation budget than current year, and the House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee cut that amount even further Tuesday as it sent the budget past its first hurdle.

A.F.S.C.M.E. AGREES TO CONCESSIONS

State employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees members will also see banked leave time and a two-tiered health plan under a tentative agreement announced Tuesday.

INDIGENT COUNSEL PROGRAM STILL YEARS AWAY

Legislation to implement a new indigent counsel program in the state should come out of the House in the next few months, but under the proposal as it currently stands, the new program would be several years to full implementation. And as the plan is developed, judges asked that it provide for state funding but local oversight of the appointed attorneys.

GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION ON 'MEATOUT' DAY DRAWS PROTESTS

A proclamation issued by Governor Jennifer Granholm calling Saturday "meatout" day in the state and encouraging people not to eat meat that day as part of a healthy diet has drawn protests from agriculture and hunting and fishing advocates, but a spokesperson for the governor said the proclamation is no different than those she has issued supporting Michigan wine and egg farmers. And if officials from any other commodity industry in the state, such as the state beef and pork producers, wanted a similar proclamation they would likely get it as well, said Liz Boyd, Ms. Granholm's spokesperson.

TRANSIT GROUP: REGIONAL AUTHORITY WOULD BOLSTER FUNDS

While some argue that bills proposing a new Regional Transit Authority for southeast Michigan would interfere with existing public transportation plans, one transit advocate said on Tuesday that the authority's ability to provide a unified transit plan will capture more funding for all systems in the area.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEBT BILLS PASS HOUSE

A five-bill package allowing local governments to restructure their debt overwhelmingly passed the House on Tuesday. Sent to the Senate were HB 5550 (98-8), HB 5551 (100-6), HB 5552 (99-8), HB 5553 (99-8) and HB 5554 (99-8).

STATE SAYS CORPORATE DECISIONS COULD RESULT IN 7,180 JOBS

As many as 7,182 jobs could be created in the state with a series of projects that received approval of credits from the Michigan Economic Growth Authority on Tuesday, including a credit that will help locate the new North American headquarters of SAAB in Royal Oak.

COX ANNOUNCES MEDICAID FRAUD ARREST

The owner of a company that once did provide services to Medicaid clients was arrested this week for allegedly continuing to bill the state for some $3.375 million after its work ended.

COURT RULES

Motions to disqualify Court of Appeals judges would have to be filed within 14 days of disclosure of a judge's assignment, aligning with the time period for disqualification of trial judges, under court rules adopted Tuesday.

Source : Gongwer News Service : Michigan Report, Volume #49, Report 50, March 16, 2010. Full access requires a subscription or a visit to a subscribing library such as the Michigan State University Main Library.

BERNERO, COX TANGLE OVER TOYOTA

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and Attorney General Mike Cox engaged in a potential warm-up of a gubernatorial election Monday when the two took shots at each other over the controversy surrounding recalled Toyota vehicles.

POLL SHOWS OPPOSITION TO PAY RAISE AS SENATE REVOTE NEARS

State voters want to see the Legislature block a pay raise for state employees, according to a poll released Monday by Business Leaders for Michigan days before the Senate is expected to make another attempt at rescinding the raise.

SPLIT COURT UPHOLDS POLICY LIMITS

An unusual majority in the Supreme Court allowed an insurance company's claim rejection to stand.

STATE COULD LOSE FOSTER CARE FUNDS UNDER REPORT

Michigan stands to lose $2.8 million in federal foster care funds because of findings that it is not meeting federal standards for the programs.

SENATE READIES TO COMPLETE FIRST ROUND OF BUDGETS

By the end of the day Wednesday, all seven budgets originating in the Senate could be before the full Senate.

COX RELEASES 2009 TAXES, RENEWS CALL FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION

Attorney General Mike Cox and his wife, Wayne County Commissioner Laura Cox, reported wages of just under $200,000 in income for 2009 as Mr. Cox released his family's tax returns for the year Monday.

TRANSPORTATION TEAM CHIDES EXPECTED BUDGET

The House is about to approve a budget that will leave the state short some $500 million in federal funds, the Michigan Transportation Team said in a release Monday.

Source : Gongwer News Service : Michigan Report, Volume #49, Report 49, March 15, 2010. Full access requires a subscription or a visit to a subscribing library such as the Michigan State University Main Library.

Three-fourths of Michigan voters favor halting a 3% pay raise for thousands of state union employees scheduled to take effect Oct. 1, according to a new poll for Business Leaders for Michigan that advocates rescinding the raise.

The pay raise could be rescinded with approval of two-thirds of both the state House and Senate by April 12. A Senate vote on March 3 failed to muster the required two-thirds approval, as all but one Democrat voted against halting the pay raise, which would save the state about $43 million next fiscal year.

For the full article, see Chris Christoff, "Poll: Most oppose raises for state workers", Detroit Free Press, March 15, 2010.

2010 Census Forms Arrive in 120 Million Mailboxes Across Nation

Responding By Mail Can Save Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions

Asking just 10 questions and taking about 10 minutes to complete, 2010 Census forms began arriving in 120 million mailboxes across the nation today - just the 23rd time the country has undertaken the constitutionally mandated population count that dates back to 1790.

The only civic event that includes every person in the country, the Census is the basis for America's representative democracy, ensuring that Congress is fairly reapportioned every 10 years between the states. Census counts are also used to redraw state and local legislative boundaries so that political representation is fairly distributed across their changing populations.

"When you receive your 2010 Census, please fill it out and mail it back," Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves said. "It's one of the shortest forms in our lifetime with just 10 questions very much like the questions James Madison and Thomas Jefferson helped craft on the very first Census."

As America has grown and become more complex and more diverse, it has become more challenging over the decades to get a complete count of the population. The 2010 Census faces special challenges during the current economic downturn, including the housing crisis which has resulted in higher rates of vacant housing that must be visited to ensure a complete count.

The Census Bureau today estimated that if every household completed and mailed back their census form, taxpayers could reduce the cost of taking the census by $1.5 billion. The Census Bureau saves about $85 million in operational costs for every percentage point increase in the nation's participation rate by mail.

"Here is something every family can do to help their government save money, and get an accurate Census at the same time. Mailing back your census form when it arrives will contribute to saving hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars," Groves added. "It's a lot less expensive to get responses back by mail than it is to send census takers to knock on doors of households that failed to respond."

"It costs the government just 42 cents for a postage paid envelope when a household mails back the form," said Groves. "It costs $57 to send a census taker door-to-door to follow up with each household that fails to respond."

Advance letters alerting households to the arrival of the 2010 Census form last week, as well as reminder postcards sent later this month, are all part of a mailing strategy that has been proven to increase participation in the census by mail - a cost savings that could exceed more than $500 million.

Even with these changes to make the census the shortest and easiest in a lifetime, the Census Bureau still projects that it will have to send census takers to an estimated 48 million households that do not respond by mail. Following up door-to-door to count households from May to July will require hiring about 650,000 census workers.

Participating in the census is required by law for everyone living in the United States, and the public is encouraged to promptly mail back their 2010 Census forms once they are delivered this week between March 15-17. About 12 million addresses, mostly in rural areas as well as Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, began receiving hand-delivered forms March 1.

Census data also help determine how more than $400 billion in federal funds are distributed to tribal, state and local governments every year - including funding for schools, roads, health care and other critical programs.

As a way of encouraging response, the Census Bureau will be publishing mail participation rates showing the percent of the population that have mailed back their 2010 Census forms on a daily basis on <2010census.gov>. This map-based feature and widget application allows communities to track how well they are responding by mail and if they're doing better than neighboring cities, counties or states. The first participation rates for the 2010 Census will appear March 22. Rates from the 2000 Census are already on the new site and serve as a benchmark. We hope communities will challenge themselves to exceed their 2000 performance for this census.

It's Easy: A Look at the 2010 Census Questionnaire

The census mailing package includes a cover letter, the 2010 Census form and a postage-paid return envelope. The 10 questions are basic and should take about 10 minutes to complete. The 2010 Census asks the following questions:

1. The number of people living in the residence
2. Any additional people that might be living there as of April 1, 2010
3. Whether the residence is owned or rented
4. Telephone number (in case the Census Bureau has follow-up questions)
5. Name
6. Sex
7. Age and date of birth
8. Whether of Hispanic origin
9. Race
10. Whether that person sometimes lives somewhere else

Census forms are available upon request in six languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Vietnamese and Russian. For the first time, bilingual English/Spanish forms will be mailed out to 13 million households where Spanish is the predominant language spoken at home. Braille and large print forms are also available on request. For the hearing impaired, a TDD program is available at 1-866-738-2010.

Language assistance guides are available in 59 languages at http://2010census.gov to assist non-English speaking residents fill out their forms. There are also short, in-language videos on the Web site to help with form filling. Telephone Questionnaire Assistance is also provided in Spanish (1-866-928-2010), Chinese (1-866-935-2010), Vietnamese (1-866-945-2010), Korean (1-866-955-2010) and Russian (1-866-965-2010) in addition to English (1-866-872-6868).

The Census Bureau will also be staffing more than 30,000 Questionnaire Assistance Centers around the country where people can get help with their forms in multiple languages. Locations of the centers are being publicized locally and can also be found on <2010census.gov>. These locations are temporary and may change based on levels of local assistance needed by residents.

It's Safe: Your Personal Information is Confidential by Law

All census responses are confidential; they are protected by law and not shared with anyone. The Census Bureau takes extreme measures to protect the identity of individuals and businesses. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' individually identifiable answers with anyone, including tribal housing authorities, other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. All Census Bureau employees take the oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000, imprisonment of up to five years or both.

ABOUT THE 2010 CENSUS

The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census form will be one of the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide.

Shared by Sheryl Mase, Library of Michigan

Ken Darga, State Demographer, explains how the census brings money to Michigan:

1) Why are census counts important to communities such as the city of Detroit, Wayne County, inner-ring suburbs, outer-ring suburbs?

Census counts are important for several reasons.

The financial reasons are most prominent in the current economic climate: over $1,000 of federal money PER PERSON is distributed to state and local governments each year on the basis of census counts. That adds up to over $10,000 over the course of a decade, which is how long data derived from the 2010 Census will be used for this purpose. That figure does not include money distributed to local governments by the state, and it does not include direct federal or state spending that is targeted or allocated on the basis of census figures. When some of a community's residents are missed by the census, that community does not receive its fair share of state and federal spending.

Census data is also used in apportionment and redistricting. Michigan is projected to lose one seat in Congress and one electoral vote after the 2010 Census, but that would not happen if everyone was counted correctly. The margin by which we are projected to lose that congressional seat is smaller than the estimated number of Michigan "snowbirds" who are counted in the Sunbelt instead of in Michigan. The metro Detroit area would also have more representation in the Michigan House and Senate if all of its residents were counted.

Census data is also used by planners, businesses, researchers, journalists, and just about everyone else to understand what is happening in our communities. Knowledge is better than ignorance, and accurate knowledge is better than false knowledge. For example, an undercount in the Census can lead to fewer business deciding to locate in an area. It also reduces the accuracy of economic statistics, health statistics, and other social indicators that are based on calculations involving census figures.

(2) What advice would you offer to groups that wish to promote full counts, such as those in Detroit?

The most important single message for Michigan is that snowbirds and other people with more than one residence should be counted only at the address where they spend the largest part of the year. Many people who spend most of the year in Michigan are counted in the Sunbelt when they receive a census form there in March. Each census form asks how many people are "living or staying" at the address to which the form is delivered. Unless people are experts on census terminology, they may not realize that "living" at a certain address means "having it as your usual residence," and "staying" at an address means "staying there while having no usual residence elsewhere."

If no one spends the largest part of the year at the winter residence, the form should be returned with "zero" entered as the number of people living there. The rest of the form should be left blank. The snowbirds should find a form waiting for them when they return to their residence in Michigan, or a census worker will come to their door in May or June.

Another important message is that your census form should include all of the people who are "usual residents" at your address, even if they are somewhere else on Census Day. For example, you should include absent snowbirds, people in the hospital, or people away temporarily on a trip. Long-distance truck drivers should be counted at their homes if they spend more time there than at any other specific address, even if they are only home for a small part of each month.

You should also include people staying temporarily at your address if they have no "usual" place of residence where they will be counted.

An important message for people who might be afraid of the government is that it is safe to fill out your census form and to include everyone in your household. Census responses are not shared with other government agencies. Information is published for geographic areas like cities, townships, zip codes, blocks, and so on, but not for individual households.

There are some other messages that are important for small segments of the population. For example, even though students in college are supposed to be counted at their college residence, other students away from home should be counted at their "home" address. This includes students at boarding schools, military schools, and even schools like the Michigan Career and Technical Institute that serve college-age adults.

(3) Do you think the Census Bureau does a good job? Please explain.

The Census Bureau receives a lot of criticism from people who do not understand how hard it is to conduct a census. Counting people sounds easy, but a nation as large as ours has a huge variety of different living situations that pose problems for census workers. The instructions on the census form have to be simple enough to understand, yet they are relied upon to cover a huge array of complex situations. The Census Bureau does a very good job at a very difficult and very important task, and it is probably one of the best bargains in the federal budget. My biggest criticism of the census is that it does not have clear instructions for snowbirds who move back and forth between
different residences.

Shared by Ken Darga via MichLib-L.

As recently as 1990, most citizens relied on large, heavily capitalized media organizations to tell them what their government was up to. Journalists in Washington or Lansing or the local city hall cultivated sources, scrutinized public documents and shared what they could learn via their employers' printing presses, radio stations or TV studios.

Fast-forward 20 years, and you're in a country where most teenagers have access to computers or phones they can use to publish their own words and videos for consumption anywhere in the world. At the same time, legislation guaranteeing public access to government documents has made it easier for ordinary citizens to find out what their elected representatives are doing, with whom they're meeting, and from whom they're collecting donations to run for or hold onto their public offices.

Or at least, easier in theory.

For the full editorial, see "Unlocking public data is not easy enough; In this information age, many more records could be, and should be, online", Detroit Free Press, March 14, 2010.

As one might expect in times such as these, the people of Michigan are dissatisfied with and distrustful of state government. More sunshine might improve the relationship.

That's not a reference to weather but a call for more open government as the nation marks its eighth annual Sunshine Week, sponsored by the American Society of News Editors to raise awareness of the public's right to know.

The explosion of the Internet has made more information available than ever before, but is it accessible?

Knowing what your government is up to should not be primarily about "knowing where to look." Governments that spend our money to amass information can do more to make it easily available.

Sunshine Week also is an opportune time to encourage an updating of Michigan's 33-year-old Freedom of Information Act to remove its excessive exemptions for politicians and to rein in local officials who try to discourage FOIA requests by charging ridiculous fees for answering them. It's these kinds of things that create an unhealthy "us vs. them" attitude between the people and their government.

Earlier this year, the state Court of Appeals ruled that personal e-mails sent by public employees on public computers are not subject to FOIA. With e-correspondence now the dominant form of nonverbal communication, this is an outrageous exception that invites wide abuse of public property and time. The Legislature needs to fix this, too.

Politicians always encourage citizens to get involved. Well, it's time to be a little more inviting -- and forthcoming.

For the full article, see "Sunshine Week a chance to reflect on the right to know", Detroit Free Press, March 14, 2010.

For more information, visit "Comparing State FOIA Laws", Detroit Free Press, March 14, 2010.

A bill proposed by state Sen. Bruce Patterson would limit a public school teacher's annual pay to that of a legislator, currently $79,650.

It also would limit salaries for school superintendents to 75 percent of the governor's salary, currently $132,750 annually based on Gov. Jennifer Granholm's $177,000 a year.

For the full article, see Daniel Opsommer, "Bill would cap teachers' pay; Superintendents also would have wages tied to legislative salaries", Lansing State Journal, March 14, 2010.

A Wayne State University study released this past week notes that Michigan lawmakers said in interviews conducted from 1998 through 2004 that they spend less time monitoring state agencies and are more likely to turn to lobbyists as a source of information and guidance now that term limits are in place.

"Term limits were sold to Michigan voters on the notion that they would sever close ties with lobbyists and cause legislators to be more independent. In reality, we found them to have the opposite impact," political science professor Marjorie Sarbaugh-Thompson, one of five study authors, said in a release.

For the full article, see Kathy Barks Hoffman, "Efforts to lengthen Michigan term limits seem stalled", Detroit Free Press, March 14, 2010.

Two area lawmakers are part of state Senate Democratic push to establish a state-run bank they believe would make it easier for individuals and small businesses to borrow money. Supporters say the bank would stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Start-up money would come from a economic development bond that voters would have to approve.

It would be similar to a traditional bank, but would focus on economic development rather than profits, Democrats said.

It would be modeled after a similar bank in North Dakota.

The Michigan bank would offer small-business loans, low-interest student loans, low-interest credit cards and agricultural loan programs.

So far, no legislation has been introduced on the idea.

For the full article, see David Harris, "Senate Democrats propose state-owned bank", Flint Journal via MLive, March 13, 2010.

NEWSMAKER FRIDAY: DISTRICT SAYS FOUR DAY WEEK SAVES, IMPROVES LEARNING

In the face of almost certain drastic cuts to education funding, one tiny, rural school district in Montmorency County made a proactive decision this winter to lower its costs any way it could, which included trimming a school day. But while the four-day week started as a cost saving measure for Atlanta Community Schools, officials quickly realized the intangible benefits of giving students longer class times and Fridays off far outnumbered the estimated $50,000 a year the district could save, said Superintendent and Principal Teresa Stauffer.

READING, MOST MATH SCORES UP ON M.E.AP.

A growing proportion of Michigan students are proficient in reading and mathematics, according to scores on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program tests released Friday.

A.F.L.-C.I.O ENDORSES BERNERO FOR DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION

The largest coalition of unions in Michigan has endorsed Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero for the Democratic nomination for governor, saying he was the candidate who best represented traditional Democratic values.

TEA PARTY MOVEMENT GETTING ITS SEA LEGS

The Tea Party movement is comprised of more than 50 different groups across Michigan, has no leadership hierarchy and isn't interested in endorsing any gubernatorial candidates and that's exactly how Common Sense In Government President Wendy Day wants to keep it.

SWITALSKI TAKES OVER AS HOUSE DEM CAMPAIGN CHAIR

The House Democratic Caucus recently went through another shakeup in its campaign structure as Rep. Tim Melton stepped down as chair and has been replaced by freshman Rep. Jon Switalski.

HOUSE COULD BE FIRST TO TAKE UP GRANHOLM RETIREMENT PACKAGE

While Governor Jennifer Granholm couldn't get a Democrat to sponsor her worker retirement package, it looks like the Democratically-controlled House could be the first to take up the bills.

MICH. FIFTH IN FORECLOSURES FOR FEBRUARY

More than 20,025 properties in Michigan received some type of foreclosure filing in February, ranking the state fifth in terms of activity, according to RealtyTrac.

C.M.H. OFFICIALS BLAST SENATE BUDGET

A proposed Department of Community Health 2010-11 budget that would cut $54 million from community mental health would put the state on the "brink of eliminating a comprehensive system of mental health care," CMH supporters said.

CAMPAIGN NOTE: CHERRY NOT GETTING BACK IN

Lt. Governor John Cherry Jr. was flattered by the interest, but sources said the logistics made it impossible for him to consider getting back into the race for governor.

Source : Gongwer News Service : Michigan Report, Volume #49, Report 48, March 12, 2010. Full access requires a subscription or a visit to a subscribing library such as the Michigan State University Main Library.

Statewide math and reading scores are up, while science and social studies scores show a slight dip, according to MEAP test results released today.

The results also show that more African-American and Hispanic students, as well as students with disabilities, are closing the gap when compared to their peers in third-, sixth- and eighth-grade reading and third-, fourth- and fifth-grade math.

For the full article, see Peggy Sarnecki-Walsh, "Statewide MEAP gains made by minorities, those with disabilities; English, math improvements may be at expense of science, social studies", Detroit Free Press, March 12, 2010.

For another, see Peggy Sarnecki-Walsh and Kristi Tanner, "Achievement gap narrows on MEAP; Clearer academic goals credited for helping students", Detroit Free Press, March 13, 2010.

Under Michigan's Workers' Disability Compensation Act, injured workers are entitled to 80 percent of their normal after-tax earnings for a specified period -- unless the employee cannot work because of imprisonment or commission of a crime.

State Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) on Thursday introduced legislation that would extend workers' compensation rights to illegal immigrants in Michigan. It would require additional language that "commission of a crime" does not include "an alien's working without employment authorization or an alien's use of false documents."

The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates Michigan had an illegal alien population of 125,000 as of 2008. Many undocumented workers pay social security and real-estate taxes, but Tlaib said they're not afforded the right to compensation if they're injured on the job.

For the full article, see Jonathon Oosting, "Workers' compensation for illegal immigrants? State Rep. Rashida Tlaib introduces bill", MLive, March 12, 2010.