10/30/20 CNS Budget — Week 8
To: CNS Editors
From: David Poulson and Judy Putnam
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/
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Note: Two stories that moved Thursday and two more today are part of a look at county campaign finance reports. The entire series with graphics: County Campaign Finance.
Here is your file:
POLITICAL VACUUM: Cigars, a vacuum, a crossbow and $1,200 worth of Red Wings tickets are among the in-kind political contributions Michigan sheriff candidates received in the run up to the 2020 election. A Capital News Service study found that candidates for sheriff in Michigan’s 10 most populated counties received over $69,000 in in-kind campaign contributions. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard received the most — $14,398.14. The average among the 13 candidates who raised or spent enough to file reports was $5,326. Campaign finance experts say the contributions are poorly monitored and penalties for violating contribution rules are rare. By Kyle Davidson and Josh Valiquette. FOR ALL POINTS. Editor’s note: This story is part of a CNS series on money in county political races that can be used up to the election and beyond. The rest of the stories with graphics: County Campaign Finance.
W/POLITICAL VACUUM GRAPHIC: Total value of in-kind contributions in races for sheriff in Michigan’s 10 most populous counties. Numbers include multiple candidates in some counties and covers from Jan. 1, 2018 to the post-primary filing deadline of Sept. 23, 2020. An in-kind contribution is a nonmonetary contribution such as goods or services.
RETIREE CLOUT: — A Capital News Service study of campaign finance filings found that retirees made about 10% of the contributions to candidates for county treasurer, sheriff and drain commissioner. Retirees also made up close to 6% of the 642 contributions that were over $500. Retirees tend to be more involved in local politics because they have time and money. And even though they may contribute more money in some of the state’s most populous counties, their relative clout is more significant in the smaller counties where they often retire. While nearly a third of Michigan’s residents are 50 or older, one survey found that 60% of Michigan voters in the November 2018 election were 50 or older. By Jasmine Hall and Hannah Brock. FOR ALL POINTS. Editor’s note: This story is part of a CNS series on money in county political races that can be used up to the election and beyond. The rest of the stories with graphics: County Campaign Finance.
W/RETIREE CLOUT GRAPHIC: Number of contributions from retirees and non-retirees to sheriff, treasurer and drain commissioner races in 56 Michigan counties. Data was collected from finance records covering from Jan.1, 2018, to the post-primary filing deadline of Sept. 23, 2020.
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COVID FUNDING WOES: The coronavirus is straining Michigan local government revenues already under strain for years. Repeated cuts in funding and changes to statutory revenue have harmed local budgets since the early 2000s. That decline will worsen as local businesses wrestling with COVID-19 lose sales that generate local government income, according to one nonpartisan study. We interview the Michigan Municipal League, the Westland mayor, Citizens Research Council and Michigan League for Public Policy. By Zholdas Orisbayev FOR ALL POINTS
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GAME PROCESSORS: Game processors are expecting a busy deer season this year, fueled in part by the fact that many hunters have more time available this fall to hit the woods and fields. Hunting license sales are way up. Processors in Crystal Falls, Twining and Milwaukee explain. By Claire Moore. FOR GREENVILLE, IONIA, ALCONA, CADILLAC, MONTMORENCY, CRAWFORD COUNTY, CLARE COUNTY, HOLLAND, LAKE COUNTY, BENZIE, OCEANA, MANISTEE, LUDINGTON, PETOSKEY, TRAVERSE CITY, HARBOR SPRINGS, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, BLISSFIELD, SAULT STE. MARIE, BAY MILLS, LEELANAU, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS, HILLSDALE, COLDWATER, ST. IGNACE AND ALL POINTS.
w/GAME PROCESSORS PHOTO: Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife assistant Mark Bash gets ready to weigh a buck at the Marquette deer check station. Credit: Michigan DNR.
WILDFIRES: Wildfires in California, Colorado, Oregon and elsewhere in the West draw the headlines but Michigan and other Great Lakes states can be hit hard as well. We talk to a Michigan DNR expert, and look as well at Wisconsin, Minnesota and a new Congressional Research Service report on wildfires. By Chioma Lewis. FOR CADILLAC, CLARE COUNTY, BIG RAPIDS, CHEBOYGAN, TRAVERSE CITY, ALCONA, MONTMORENCY, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, BAY MILLS, PETOSKEY, OCEANA, LUDINGTON, BENZIE, HERALD REVIEW, LAKE COUNTY, CRAWFORD COUNTY, ST. IGNACE, BAY MILLS, LEELANAU, MANISTEE, LUDINGTON AND ALL POINTS.
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CNS