Category Archives: Government Collaboration

Know the difference between real reform and faux reform

By John Bebow | Published: June 17, 2010
Michigan citizens want efficient local government. And, to get there, they don’t much care which town name is plastered on the sides of the police and fire engines. We heard that sentiment time and again in the 585 Community Conversations leading to our newly released “10,000 Voices” report. The Michigan Legislature can help local governments manage [...]
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SPECIAL REPORT: Inside the fight over state employee pay

By The Center for Michigan | Published: March 18, 2010
By John Foren On one side are those who say state of Michigan employees are getting Cadillac salary and benefits in a junker of an economy and must cough up some of it. On the other are those who contend the workers are self-sacrificing public servants who have already made more concessions than the fat-cat legislators who [...]
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The shared vision of Granholm and Bishop

By John Bebow | Published: February 4, 2010
Quote of the night from Governor Jennifer Granholm’s State of the State Address: “Let’s be candid. The budget process is broken – it’s a last-minute, crisis-driven disaster. We must do better… The pundits are already saying you won’t agree to a budget in this election year. For Michigan’s sake, prove them wrong. It can be done… [...]
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A big shout out to the Bipartisan Freshman Caucus

By John Bebow | Published: February 4, 2010
In the summer of 2008, Center for Michigan workers traveled the state to give Michigan House of Representatives candidates fresh polling data and reports indicating the public’s deep desire for bipartisan cooperation and problem solving in the state capitol. Some of those candidates took up the message and used it to help win their seats. Even more [...]
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Two new and important milestones in the public employee benefits debate

By John Bebow | Published: December 17, 2009
THREE CHEERS this week for Democratic State Representative Pam Byrnes and Republican State Representative Phil Pavlov for finally doing what some of Michigan’s wisest budget experts have urged for years. Byrnes chairs, and Pavlov serves on, the House committee looking into Speaker Andy Dillon’s public benefits pooling proposal. Byrnes, Pavlov and colleagues reported a bill out of [...]
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Cities push hard on Act 312 and cost controls

By John Bebow | Published: December 10, 2009
The Michigan Municipal League is making a fresh push to change longstanding binding arbritration laws on Michigan books, most notably Act 312. Some economists and critics blame Act 312 for burdening local governments with onerous work rules, inflating personnel costs, and preventing regional cooperation among neighboring governments. The Center for Michigan has worked with the MML [...]
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Dillon fights back on benefits reform

By John Bebow | Published: November 5, 2009
Pummeled by employee groups and some prominent budget experts, House Speaker Andy Dillon isn’t backing off his contention that a statewide public employee benefits plan can save taxpayers $700-900 million per year while ensuring solid health care coverage for public workers. Dillon’s latest salvo came at the Crain’s Detroit Business Health Care Leadership Summit. Read his [...]
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Goodbye police officer, hello deputy?

By John Bebow | Published: October 22, 2009
If you have an emergency at your house or place of employment, do you care whether the first responder is a city police officer or a county deputy? Michigan residents may find themselves asking that question as recession-driven budget cuts grow more acute in local communities. At least that’s the suggestion of the Citizens Research Council, as [...]
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New ammo in the public sector pay and benefits debates

By John Bebow | Published: October 22, 2009
Two new reports heighten the debates at the capitol and around city council and school board tables regarding pay and benefits levels for public employees in Michigan. A new Citizens Research Council report suggests Michigan’s public sector is battered, but has weathered the state’s economic storm better than the private sector. Insights from the report: Contrary to [...]
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Is a government consolidation breakthrough near?

By John Bebow | Published: October 15, 2009
Whispers about big government consolidation plans in West Michigan grew louder this week when WZZM television featured a long segment on talks between Grand Rapids and surrounding cities to consolidate police, fire, public works, and other services. The suggestion: mayors and city managers are on the verge of a major breakthrough — the formation of a [...]
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