Michigan’s Democratic governor-elect and incoming Republican legislative leaders stake out positions ahead of the new term. Some changes are proposed to laws brought forward by petition. WMU falls in the championship game of the MAC men’s soccer tournament.
(MPRN) Michigan will have a new governor and new leadership in the Legislature starting in January. And Democratic Governor Elect Gretchen Whitmer faces a Legislature run by Republicans. Whitmer says she wants to work across the aisle. And Republican leaders have said they’re open to meeting with Whitmer and working with her. Mike Shirkey, who will lead Senate Republicans next year and incoming Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield say there are some issues they won’t budge on. Like getting rid of the state’s right-to-work law.
(MPRN) State lawmakers recently passed legislation to change the state’s minimum wage law and require that employers offer earned sick time. But those laws haven’t gone into effect yet. Lawmakers want to make changes to those laws before they ever have a chance to be felt by Michigan’s residents. The legislation was introduced by Republican Senators. Critics say lawmakers want to water down the new laws. They say if the Legislature didn’t like the laws, they should have let the voters decide on these issues on the ballot. But Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof says both laws needed to be changed in order to protect businesses. One bill would bring back a lower minimum amount that employers have to pay tipped workers. Another bill would get rid of parts of the law aimed at helping employees who sue their employer if they are fired after using sick leave.
(WDET) For the first time since Detroit declared bankruptcy city officials are preparing to borrow millions of dollars without support from the state or some other third-party. And a leading credit ratings agency has some reservations about the move. Detroit plans to issue bonds totaling about $112-million worth of debt sometime around the first of December. The credit ratings service Moody’s says the city has recovered enough from the nation’s largest-ever municipal bankruptcy to support the borrowing. But Moody’s also says in a report that Detroit’s recovery is being driven by development and population growth in its downtown area. Moody’s notes that Detroit already has large debt and pension burdens…and says the city could face problems if its economic growth does not spread to the property tax base outside of downtown. The ratings’ agency also predicts the Detroit Public School Community District could become a “major drag” on revitalization efforts because it does have enough funds after being rescued by the state to make the significant capital upgrades it requires.
The men’s soccer season ended for Western Michigan with a 3-0 loss to Akron Sunday in the championship game of the Mid-American Conference tournament. The Broncos finished the season with a record of 11 wins, six losses and three draws.
Western Michigan suffered its first loss of the women’s basketball season, 66-54 Sunday to New Mexico State. The Broncos jumped out to a 12 point lead in the first quarter and maintained an eight point lead at half time before the Aggies rallied in the second half at University Arena. Western plays Michigan Thursday in Ann Arbor.