Two of the remaining factors standing in the way of lawmakers and the Governor sealing a deal on next year's budget and avoiding government shutdown deal with the size of an ultimate tax increase and the circumstances under which school employee health data can be used by superintendents to shop around for better rates, according to the most recent information collected by MIRS.
Known under the dome as the "MESSA issue," the debate revolves around the health care spin-off of the Michigan Education Association (MEA), which is the third-party administrator for roughly half of the school districts in Michigan.
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A second hurdle facing lawmakers and the Governor concerning the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 budget is the size of the tax increase involved. While there's a common understanding that there will be an income tax increase and a sales tax expansion, the size is still in flux with estimates on the amount of new revenue shifting by the hour between $1.2 and $1.6 billion.
Also, I have just received word from a reputable source that the House and Senate are considering NOT MEETING tomorrow ?!?
Are you kidding me? If so, what a complete outrage, so outrageous that I'm having a hard time believing it. The state would go ballistic on them.
Will update when I have more confirmation/information.