Gongwer:
DILLON AGREES TO OPT OUT IN POOLING PLAN, BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN
Public employee unions could collectively bargain over whether their governmental unit joins a statewide health insurance pool proposed by House Speaker Andy Dillon, but the change to his legislation didn't completely win people over Thursday.
AFL-CIO SAYS VOTES FOR TEACHER RETIREMENT THREATEN ENDORSEMENT
Incumbent endorsements from the Michigan State AFL-CIO are "in danger" over a recent vote for school employee retirement, President Mark Gaffney said Thursday.
FURLOUGHS, LAYOFFS WON'T SOLVE '09-10 BUDGET HOLE, DILLON SAYS
Legislative leaders and the governor will be meeting to address the current year budget deficit soon, but one of the solutions to that problem will not be state worker furloughs and layoffs, House Speaker Andy Dillon said Thursday.
DESPITE DOWN REVENUE FORECASTS, WORSE TIMES HAD BEEN PREDICTED
Despite indications that the state could see a general fund deficit of as much as $500 million for the current fiscal year, at one time an even worse fiscal outlook was predicted for the current year.
CHILD CARE BILLS PASS DIVIDED HOUSE
The House completed voting Thursday on a package of bills requiring unlicensed child care providers to undergo training and background checks to keep their state subsidy, but the action drew dissent from Republicans who wanted to address related union issues.
MIRS:
Dillon Says 'Test My Plan'
"House Speaker Andy DILLON (D-Redford Twp.) told a legislative committee today that he is willing to prove his public employee healthcare plan (HB 5345) will save boatloads of dollars. What's more, he says he's willing to put the plan to a test."
UAW Whacks State Retirement Plan
"If the Legislature takes up an early retirement plan for state employees modeled after the one just signed into law for school employees, the United Autoworkers (UAW) don't want any part of it."
Gaffney: Dems Voting For Teacher Retirement 'In Danger'
"Michigan State AFL-CIO President Mark GAFFNEY said today that Democrats who supported last week's school employee retirement package are "in danger" of not being endorsed by the AFL-CIO when they run for office in November."
Commissioners Rip Senate Transportation Budget
"After hearing what was described as "grim news" relative to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 transportation budget process in the Legislature to date, some of the Michigan Transportation Commission members led by Chairman Ted WAHBY did a hit-and-run on the Republican-led Senate-passed Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) budget."
• Troopers Want Funding To Prevent Layoffs
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