Commentary

Michigan’s Trial Courts Have a Major Funding Problem

The statutory scheme that keeps them running is set to expire in 2020 – and there’s no back up plan in place yet Read more

A Flip Of A Switch

Not all energy is there when you need it Read more

MDE Overreach a Serious Concern

New rules attack cyber school option for families Read more

Why Taxpayers Are Shelling Out More Money for Worse Service

In some places, cities pay two or three times the base salary for one person Read more

Three Important Criminal Justice Reform Opportunities for 2018

With fewer than 20 days left in the legislative session, that’s plenty of time to pass good reform Read more

Can Technology Help Predict Crime and Flight Risk?

More courts use actuarial tools to assess risks offenders pose to society Read more

Michigan Catching Up On State Employee Pension Debt

Progress is being made, but another $7.5 billion is still needed Read more

Climate Lawsuits Expose Contradictory Government Policies

City reverses original claim on climate-related damages Read more

Politicians Subsidize Less Than 1 Percent of Job Creation

Taxpayer dollars wasted subsidizing a tiny fraction of the economy Read more

A Lesson in Endpoint Bias

Is the state budget growing faster than inflation? Read more

ISD-Run Special Education at Bottom of the Pack

Michigan only state cited for failing special-needs students Read more

How Business Subsidies Cut to the Front of the Line for Michigan Tax Dollars

Politicians focus on higher status than taxpayers Read more

A Political Fiction that Won’t Go Away

Candidates wrongly claim state education funds have been cut Read more

Snyder Budget Whacks $10 Million from Business Subsidy Programs

Pure Michigan scores $1 million increase Read more

Legislature Approves New Business Subsidies

Big budget bill makes it more difficult to hold lawmakers accountable for spending Read more

Another MBDP Jobs Subsidy Project Doesn’t Work

State officials can’t pick economic winners from losers and shouldn’t try Read more

Higher Taxes Would Offer Little for Ottawa Schools

Millage money more fairly shared, but promises little results Read more

State Business Handout Program Wastes Another $2 million

Another state subsidy deal fails to deliver Read more

Detroit is Becoming Friendlier to Entrepreneurs

The number of licensing violations enforced by the city has decreased Read more

Neither Inmates Nor Counties Get Out of Jail Free

Michigan counties try, unsuccessfully, to pass their jail expenditures on to inmates Read more

Is One Subsidy Really Any Better?

Subsidies do have a destabilizing market influence Read more

Business Subsidy Programs Grow State’s Bureaucracy, Not Its Economy

They’re mostly just in-state cronyism, not big employer “deal closing” incentives Read more