Nov. 22, 2013 CNS Budget

Nov. 22, 2013 – Week 12
To: CNS Editors
From: Eric Freedman
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EARLY FILE FOR THANKSGIVING WEEK: Next week’s file will be Tuesday, Nov. 26.
HERE’S YOUR FILE:
EMPLOYEEDROP: The number of state employees has dropped more than 20 percent in the past decade under Democratic and Republican governors. We learn why and what it means from the Snyder administration, Citizens Research Council and Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Spending. By Matthew Hall. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CITY PULSE & ALL POINTS.
VOCATIONALSCHOOLS: Vocational education programs are increasingly popular to meet employer needs and help fill the state’s need for more skilled workers. We hear from the Education Department and school officials in Traverse City, Big Rapids and Ingham County. By Stephen Ingber. FOR BIG RAPIDS, TRAVERSE CITY, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CITY PULSE, MICHIGAN CITZIEN & ALL POINTS.
CHARTERS: Senators from Taylor, Southfield, Detroit and East Lansing want tougher oversight for charter schools. The proposal would prohibit new charters run by for-profit companies. Also, to authorize new charters, the authorizer would have to show students at their existing charters perform 20 percent better than local public school students. We talk to experts at Ferris State and Northern Michigan universities. By Justine McGuire, FOR BIG RAPIDS, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, MARQUETTE, BAY MILLS, ST. IGNACE, CHEBOYGAN, ROYAL OAK, DEADLINE DETROIT, CITY PULSE, MACOMB & ALL POINTS.
SHOPPINGLOCAL: Retail sales are expected to rise modestly this holiday season, and local merchants are working to provide customer services that Internet merchants can’t offer. We hear from merchants in Three Rivers and Marquette and the Michigan Retailers Association. By Becky McKendry. FOR THREE RIVERS, STURGIS, MARQUETTE, BAY MILLS, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS & ALL POINTS.
ENGINEERING: Michigan has more industrial and mechanical engineers than any other state. Even so, manufacturers struggle to fill engineering positions as the economy improves, especially in Southeast Michigan. We hear from a Northern Michigan University expert, MEDC and an association of engineering companies. By Lacee Shepard. FOR MARQUETTE, ST. IGNACE, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, DEADLINE DETROIT, MACOMB, ROYAL OAK & ALL POINTS.
STATELIABILITIES: Public and press attention is focused on the unfunded pension obligations of financially troubled local governments, especially Detroit, but the state employee pension fund is about 60 percent underfunded. We talk to the Senate Fiscal Agency, a state worker union and an MSU economist. By Matthew Hall. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN, DEADLINE DETROIT, CITY PULSE, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS & ALL POINTS.
GOPSENATELOCK: This month marks the 30^th anniversary of the recall of two Democratic senators from Macomb and Oakland counties who voted for an income tax hike, paving the way for three decades of GOP control of the Senate. We talk about it with ex-Lt. Gov. Posthumus, a senior advisor to the governor. By Eric Freedman. FOR MACOMB, ROYAL OAK, DEADLINE DETROIT, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, CITY PULSE & ALL POINTS.
CLIMATEGRAPES: Climate change and more extreme weather, like unpredictable springs and long summer droughts, is to blame for changes in grape production in Michigan. Experts from MSU, Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center and Cornell explain. By Danielle Woodward. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUISNESS, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS & ALL POINTS.
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