Paadvisory Briefs

Lower Court Rulings on EM Appointments Overturned

The Michigan Court of Appeals overturned the rulings of two Ingham County Circuit Court Judges early this week. Judge William Collete’s ruling that the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan could not enter into a consent agreement was overturned as well as Judge Rosemarie Aquilina’s ruling that restored Flint Mayor Dayne Walling to power by determining that Flint Emergency Manager Michael Brown was appointed incorrectly.

Lotto Winner Food Assistance Prevention Bills Passed

Senate Bills 711, 712 and House Bill 5033 were moved to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s desk for approval this week. The package of legislation requires the Michigan Lottery Bureau to report the names of winners of $1,000 or more to the Department of Human Services who will then include the earnings in an asset test to determine eligibility for food assistance.

Personal Income Up in 2011, Unemployment Continues Downward Trend

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, personal income increased 5.2 percent in Michigan in 2011 – the largest increase since 2000. Most notably, Michigan’s income growth rate had not topped the national average since 1995 – beating the national average of 4.3 percent by a large margin in 2011. The average per capita income in Michigan for 2011 was $36,533. In related good news, the state’s unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent for February, the lowest level since mid-2008.

MGCCC Legislation Passes House

Despite the opposition of organized labor, Senate Bill 1018 passed the House of Representatives Wednesday on a party line vote of 63-46. The bill, sponsored by Senator Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell), clarifies that home health care workers are not public employees and therefore unable to organize. The legislation passed the Senate 25-13 last week.

Appropriations Subcommittees Active

Many House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees were active this week in passing preliminary versions of departmental budget bills for the 2012 – 2013 fiscal year. With the Legislature on Spring Break for the next two weeks, PAAdvisory will provide analysis of current budget proposals in coming editions.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, March 30, 2012 10:40 AM
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