I have refrained from talking about the Michigan state budget on this forum for two reasons:
1) I am by no means an economic expert.
2) The whole issue is like an angry, angry bear and I fear that all I would be doing is poking it with a stick and pulling back a stump.
Of course, when you see articles like this one, it becomes difficult not to have an opinion. The budget and the economy are so bad, Michigan's credit rating dropped. What does that mean? Well, if you want to borrow money, it's going to cost you a lot more.
But let's add into that the stories we've been reporting on over the last few days. The legislature is cutting over $90 million out of the higher education budget. That alone is bad enough, but then there's the news from the Michigan Radio Network that next year's deficit is going to be worse, due in large part to the way that the legislature has been trying to "solve" the problem. Oops.
The issue, as I see it, is this. The Republicans and the Democrats - and do not for a moment believe that either party is blameless! - have turned this into a grandstanding political issue. The Republicans have outright refused to support any sort of tax increase, and the Democrats aren't real fond of cutting programs either. Now, a rational legislature would try to compromise, and to be fair both sides did compromise to come up with a solution for this year.
Granted, it was an awful solution, but let's give credit where credit is due.
It is the steadfast, bullheaded commitment to "core beliefs" on both sides that has made finding an actual solution difficult. The short answer is this: there will need to be a tax increase, or new taxes, to fill the gap - and not just a new tax to replace the defunct Single Business Tax. However, it's going to be necessary to cut some programs as well, and make the government leaner overall.
Unfortunately, all the areas that should not be cut seem to be the ones that are being cut. The legislature may have dodged the looming spectre of Granholm's promised "$125-per-kid-cut", but in doing so they've hamstrung higher education as well. Part of the problem with the current economic situation in Michigan is that we just aren't turning out (or keeping) enough of the best and brightest. One would assume that if we continued to support higher education, that would help at least contribute to keeping said "best and brightest" in the state. It's simple logic: if other states offer educational opportunities that we don't, the kids that would be the future of the Michigan economy are going to leave. Moreover, advanced and well-funded universities attract businesses looking to expand and hire new, capable employees.
But all of this is hypothetical. The title of this post is not "Why Certain Things Should Not Be Cut", but rather "How To Balance a Budget". Understanding that a replacement for the SBT is an inevitability, there are still lots of ways to not only bring more money into the state, but also keep vital programs (like higher ed) from getting cut and also keep we the tax payers from having to pay more out of our incomes.
A couple ideas off the top of my head.
1) Beer and liquor tax. It is true that liquor and beer are already quite heavily taxed. But I'm not talking about anything ridiculous. How about a tax of two or three cents per glass at the bar? Or maybe ten cents added on to the cost of a six pack? These are not bank-breaking taxes, and most people who will drink are going to do so anyway. Moreover, even if a few people decide not to buy alcohol, that makes the roads that much safer. It's a win-win for the Greater Good.
2) Cigarette tax. See above. Cigarettes are even more ridiculously taxed, but honestly? I don't care. It's not good for people to smoke, and it costs the state and the general public a lot of money to pay out for health care. Add a few more cents onto a pack and put it in the general fund. Again, a win-win.
3) Sweets tax. Why not fight obesity and make a little money for the state while we're at it? Tack a one-cent tax onto candy bars, ice cream, fast food, etc. and that will contribute some cash too.
4) Advertising. I'm not for a minute suggesting that Granholm should pose for a Nike ad, though that's just hilarious enough to make me consider a Photoshop. But small logos from businesses (and respectable ones, mind you) on things like state brochures and pamphlets for parks and the like might not be a bad idea. Or maybe little banners at highway rest stops.
Now, it's not that I particularly like these ideas. But they are just a few ideas I've had. If you've got some others, I'd love to hear them!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Thor's Warriors
Thanks to Chris Wright from Thor's Warriors for coming on the morning show (all the way from California - he was up earlier than we were!) and talking to us about the very important issue of animal abuse and neglect. If you'd like to help, you can go, of course, to www.ThorsWarriors.com or you can donate time and money through the Humane Animal Treatment Society.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Maybe this wasn't the best idea
In the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, it is understandable that many schools would want to make sure their students and their disaster readiness plans are up to snuff on what to do in such a situation.
What is significantly less understandable is teachers staging a fake gun attack on a class field trip.
The article from USA Today can be read by clicking here. The short version of the story, if you don't want to read the article, is that Tennessee elementary school staff members on a class trip decided it would be a good lesson to teach the kids how to react in case someone with a gun showed up in their classroom. This is perfectly fine, and probably not a bad idea.
Not telling the kids that the "lesson" isn't real? That's more than a bit of a stretch. The staff members, apparently including the assistant principal of the school, convinced the kids there was a gunman on the loose and were told to lie on the floor or hide under tables and stay quiet. To add to the illusion, one teacher, who was disguised in a hoodie, pulled on the locked doors from the outside.
The kids - who, again, had no idea - were terrified, many reduced to tears and fearful for their lives. The ordeal lasted about five minutes during the week-long state park trip, after which the kids discussed with the staff what to do in such an occurrence. Parents are understandably upset, and there's no word yet on whether or not the staff members will face punishment.
The question now, of course, is "should they?" Certainly, the intent of this exercise was noble, as I haven't honestly believed a teacher was out to get me since middle school. It is the execution, and the resultant fear it inspired in the kids, that is the real problem. The whole problem could have been alleviated by simply letting the kids know what was going on. On another note, wouldn't it also have made sense for them to do this in the classroom rather than on a field trip?
This is a dumb move, pure and simple, and I think there should be some punishment handed down. I would stop short of firing the offending staff members, but some sort of consequence is in order.
What do you think?
What is significantly less understandable is teachers staging a fake gun attack on a class field trip.
The article from USA Today can be read by clicking here. The short version of the story, if you don't want to read the article, is that Tennessee elementary school staff members on a class trip decided it would be a good lesson to teach the kids how to react in case someone with a gun showed up in their classroom. This is perfectly fine, and probably not a bad idea.
Not telling the kids that the "lesson" isn't real? That's more than a bit of a stretch. The staff members, apparently including the assistant principal of the school, convinced the kids there was a gunman on the loose and were told to lie on the floor or hide under tables and stay quiet. To add to the illusion, one teacher, who was disguised in a hoodie, pulled on the locked doors from the outside.
The kids - who, again, had no idea - were terrified, many reduced to tears and fearful for their lives. The ordeal lasted about five minutes during the week-long state park trip, after which the kids discussed with the staff what to do in such an occurrence. Parents are understandably upset, and there's no word yet on whether or not the staff members will face punishment.
The question now, of course, is "should they?" Certainly, the intent of this exercise was noble, as I haven't honestly believed a teacher was out to get me since middle school. It is the execution, and the resultant fear it inspired in the kids, that is the real problem. The whole problem could have been alleviated by simply letting the kids know what was going on. On another note, wouldn't it also have made sense for them to do this in the classroom rather than on a field trip?
This is a dumb move, pure and simple, and I think there should be some punishment handed down. I would stop short of firing the offending staff members, but some sort of consequence is in order.
What do you think?
Friday, May 11, 2007
Upcoming Special
I've touched all the bases and gotten all the necessary folks rounded up. Wednesday on the John Sebastian Morning Show, we're going to be doing a special report on animal neglect and abuse, featuring interviews with Chris Wright from ThorsWarriors.com and representatives from the Isabella County Humane Animal Treatment Society. Chris will be on at about 8 AM, the HATS folks at about 8:15.
Please tune into the show May 16th and find out what you can do to help on this important issue.
Please tune into the show May 16th and find out what you can do to help on this important issue.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
A dog of a story
I will admit to watching American Idol last night. Not because it was my choice, mind you. No, seriously. Why would I lie?
It was a pretty by-the-book reality talent contest episode, with all the prerequisite movie tie-ins from the parent company and the once-great talent that has not aged well (Barry Gibb sans high-pitched falsetto is sort of like Neapolitan ice cream without the chocolate - what's the point?). Apart from the wound to state pride I felt when young miss Lakisha was set home, nothing about the show grabbed my interest.
The commercials, though? That's an entirely different matter. Imagine my surprise when pictures of emaciated, sad-looking Labradors started appearing on the screen in the middle of the bright, happy battle of the songsters, with somber narration informing us that the poor pups we were looking at were the result of neglect at a kennel that had its license revoked and then re-awarded within two months. My reaction, I would assume, matched that of others in the audience - at first, it was sadness at the images, then a yeahbuhwah? at the commercial's revelation of licensing impropriety. You can watch the ad here. The important thing is that it led me to ThorsWarriors.com, a website run by established author and former radio personality Chris Wright née Jonathan Rand née Christopher Knight.
The website crafts an interesting and wholly disconcerting tale of animal abuse and neglect which is difficult to sum up in a brief paragraph. It begins when a Labrador is found in a car port in Crawford County in an emaciated and neglected state by what appears to be a concerned neighbor. Wright decides to write an article on the dog for a magazine he contributes to, only to discover that the watchful citizen is the mother of the man who ran the kennel the dog came from, and presumably was trying to cover up the activities at her son's business. It gets worse from there, but you should probably start at the beginning and read it for yourself.
The reporting is occasionally over-sentimentalized and angry, but then again this is the sort of issue that would inspire such feelings, and the website is not intended to be an impartial journal of record. We're going to be getting Mr. Wright on the morning show next time some week to talk about the issue alongside some representatives from local animal welfare organizations, but I felt this was an important enough issue to bring it up right here on the blog. Things of this nature happen all the time whether we'd like to admit it or not, and the sad truth is that it's not limited by geography. Even here in Mount Pleasant, there could be animals being starved, beaten, or otherwise neglected as I write this. It's not a comforting thought, but it's a reality. But more than that, if these accusations Mr. Wright makes are truthful - and, given the wealth of supporting documents and evidence he provides, it's difficult to say otherwise - then the discussion goes beyond helping animals and questioning the actions of elected public officials.
So we'll be keeping tabs on the development of this story and hopefully talking with Mr. Wright soon. Until then, feel free to let me know what you think of the story by responding to this post. Also, if you want to help some local animals, the Isabella County Humane Animal Treatment Society is a great place to donate time and money.
It was a pretty by-the-book reality talent contest episode, with all the prerequisite movie tie-ins from the parent company and the once-great talent that has not aged well (Barry Gibb sans high-pitched falsetto is sort of like Neapolitan ice cream without the chocolate - what's the point?). Apart from the wound to state pride I felt when young miss Lakisha was set home, nothing about the show grabbed my interest.
The commercials, though? That's an entirely different matter. Imagine my surprise when pictures of emaciated, sad-looking Labradors started appearing on the screen in the middle of the bright, happy battle of the songsters, with somber narration informing us that the poor pups we were looking at were the result of neglect at a kennel that had its license revoked and then re-awarded within two months. My reaction, I would assume, matched that of others in the audience - at first, it was sadness at the images, then a yeahbuhwah? at the commercial's revelation of licensing impropriety. You can watch the ad here. The important thing is that it led me to ThorsWarriors.com, a website run by established author and former radio personality Chris Wright née Jonathan Rand née Christopher Knight.
The website crafts an interesting and wholly disconcerting tale of animal abuse and neglect which is difficult to sum up in a brief paragraph. It begins when a Labrador is found in a car port in Crawford County in an emaciated and neglected state by what appears to be a concerned neighbor. Wright decides to write an article on the dog for a magazine he contributes to, only to discover that the watchful citizen is the mother of the man who ran the kennel the dog came from, and presumably was trying to cover up the activities at her son's business. It gets worse from there, but you should probably start at the beginning and read it for yourself.
The reporting is occasionally over-sentimentalized and angry, but then again this is the sort of issue that would inspire such feelings, and the website is not intended to be an impartial journal of record. We're going to be getting Mr. Wright on the morning show next time some week to talk about the issue alongside some representatives from local animal welfare organizations, but I felt this was an important enough issue to bring it up right here on the blog. Things of this nature happen all the time whether we'd like to admit it or not, and the sad truth is that it's not limited by geography. Even here in Mount Pleasant, there could be animals being starved, beaten, or otherwise neglected as I write this. It's not a comforting thought, but it's a reality. But more than that, if these accusations Mr. Wright makes are truthful - and, given the wealth of supporting documents and evidence he provides, it's difficult to say otherwise - then the discussion goes beyond helping animals and questioning the actions of elected public officials.
So we'll be keeping tabs on the development of this story and hopefully talking with Mr. Wright soon. Until then, feel free to let me know what you think of the story by responding to this post. Also, if you want to help some local animals, the Isabella County Humane Animal Treatment Society is a great place to donate time and money.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Balance the Budget Yourself!
With all the talk in Michigan lately of budget deficits and who's to blame, there has been no shortage of would-be solutions to the problem. I know I've got more than a few ideas as to how to fill the gap and I'm sure you do as well. This is great - it shows we're thinking. There's just one thing we have to keep in mind:
Balancing a state budget is hard.
See if you can do any better by trying out this game, which tasks you with trying to solve a state budget deficit. It's not as easy as one might think, but then again neither is trying to find over $600 million to cover state expenditures.
Balancing a state budget is hard.
See if you can do any better by trying out this game, which tasks you with trying to solve a state budget deficit. It's not as easy as one might think, but then again neither is trying to find over $600 million to cover state expenditures.
Monday, May 7, 2007
'Round The World Roundup #1
Michigan
Home Health Care Advocates Protest Cuts (Lansing State Journal)
"About 150 home health care workers and advocates gathered Thursday in Lansing to protest budget cuts that would reduce their pay."
Ford to shut down Ohio plant, keep another one closed for a year (The Detroit Free Press)
"Ford Motor Co. said Monday it will close its casting plant in Brook Park, Ohio, outside of Cleveland, in 2009. The plant employs 1,218 hourly and salaried workers."
National
Searchers look for trapped tornado victims (CNN.com)
"A top official of a Kansas town destroyed by a deadly tornado said Monday that it was
possible victims still remained trapped under debris from the disaster."
Bush to host Queen Elizabeth at white-tie dinner (CNN.com)
"The British monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, are being greeted Monday morning with a 21-gun salute and a parade by the U.S. Army's Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps attended by 7,000 guests on the White House's South Lawn."
Recovering New Jersey governor resumes duties (Houston Chronicle)
"Jon S. Corzine resumed his duties as governor Monday, nearly a month after a high-speed crash on the Garden State Parkway almost killed him."
World
Double suicide bombings in Iraq kill 20 (Associated Press)
"Two suicide car bombers attacked a market and a police checkpoint on the outskirts of Ramadi, killing at least 20 people and dealing a blow to recent U.S. success in reclaiming the Sunni city from insurgents."
France's Sarkozy seeks parliament allies (Associated Press)
"French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy plans to waste no time making France a friendlier place for business — and a less inviting place for criminals and would-be immigrants — but first he must win control of parliament in new elections next month."
Hezbollah says it is near freeing Israeli captives (MSNBC.com)
"Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday there has been progress in negotiations to free two Israeli soldiers whose abduction by the militant group sparked a 34-day war in Lebanon last summer."
Home Health Care Advocates Protest Cuts (Lansing State Journal)
"About 150 home health care workers and advocates gathered Thursday in Lansing to protest budget cuts that would reduce their pay."
Ford to shut down Ohio plant, keep another one closed for a year (The Detroit Free Press)
"Ford Motor Co. said Monday it will close its casting plant in Brook Park, Ohio, outside of Cleveland, in 2009. The plant employs 1,218 hourly and salaried workers."
National
Searchers look for trapped tornado victims (CNN.com)
"A top official of a Kansas town destroyed by a deadly tornado said Monday that it was
possible victims still remained trapped under debris from the disaster."
Bush to host Queen Elizabeth at white-tie dinner (CNN.com)
"The British monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, are being greeted Monday morning with a 21-gun salute and a parade by the U.S. Army's Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps attended by 7,000 guests on the White House's South Lawn."
Recovering New Jersey governor resumes duties (Houston Chronicle)
"Jon S. Corzine resumed his duties as governor Monday, nearly a month after a high-speed crash on the Garden State Parkway almost killed him."
World
Double suicide bombings in Iraq kill 20 (Associated Press)
"Two suicide car bombers attacked a market and a police checkpoint on the outskirts of Ramadi, killing at least 20 people and dealing a blow to recent U.S. success in reclaiming the Sunni city from insurgents."
France's Sarkozy seeks parliament allies (Associated Press)
"French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy plans to waste no time making France a friendlier place for business — and a less inviting place for criminals and would-be immigrants — but first he must win control of parliament in new elections next month."
Hezbollah says it is near freeing Israeli captives (MSNBC.com)
"Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday there has been progress in negotiations to free two Israeli soldiers whose abduction by the militant group sparked a 34-day war in Lebanon last summer."
Welcome
Hello, and welcome to the WCZY/WMMI news blog! I'm Bryan Carr, the News Director for Lite Hits 104.3 WCZY and WMMI AM 830. I'll be updating this blog daily with news stories from around the Mid-Michigan area and the world, so after you catch the newscast on 104.3 FM or 830 AM check back here for additional news and commentary. Feel free to post your thoughts and comments, as well!
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