Government

Closing juvenile facilities sparks debate

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By SAODAT ASANOVA –TAYLOR
Capital News Service
LANSING – Some lawmakers want to close all state juvenile justice facilities, but specialists who deal with young offenders strongly oppose such a move. Lawmakers justify the change as a way to save dollars through privatizing the system. The closings were not part of Gov. Rick Snyder’s recommended budget but were added during the House Appropriations Committee review. The full House approved the provision and the budget is awaiting Senate action. Rep. Dave Agema, R-Grandville, said private facilities can provide the same service at lower costs than state facilities.

Health

Mental heath courts could expand

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By JON GASKELL
Capital News Service
LANSING – Officials are looking to expand a pilot program that has kept hundreds of mentally ill defendants from going to prison. In his address on public safety, Gov. Rick Snyder proposed $2.1 million in new funding for mental health courts, a pilot program operating since 2008 that allows defendants to avoid jail time by completing court-monitored treatment. Snyder also proposed starting a new mental health court in Saginaw County, bringing the total number to nine. The program is currently funded by $1.6 million in federal stimulus money, which will no longer be available by the end of the year. “Mental health courts are the best resource available to provide treatment to mentally ill individuals who break the law,” Snyder said.

Business & Economy

'Placemaking' pushed to propel home sales

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By JENNIFER CHEN
Capital News Service
LANSING – Appealing plazas, thriving shops and convenient transportation may play a crucial role to increase home sales, according to the Michigan Association of Realtors. The association cites Gov. Rick Snyder’s “placemaking” policy as a way to improve the housing market. Mike Nowlin, senior public relations and policy manager at Pace & Partners Inc., said, Snyder embraced placemaking as part of Michigan’s agenda to attract and retain talent, entrepreneurs and businesses. Nowlin said powerful collaborative efforts are underway to achieve the state’s placemaking objectives. Association President Beth Foley said.

Business & Economy

Museums tighten belts, hope for more funds

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By WEI YU
Capital News Service
LANSING – Arts and cultural venues in the state generated more than $2 billion in 2010 in tourism spending – more than golf, winter skiing, boating, sailing, hunting, fishing and viewing sporting events combined, a new Creative State Michigan report shows. However, the recession has hit Michigan museums hard. The Detroit Science Center closed due to financial hardship last year, for example, and the majority of Michigan museums have curtailed their opening hours. Meanwhile, Gov. Rick Snyder included $6.15 million in his 2013 budget proposal for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs — a $3.6 million increase in state funding and the largest recommended increase since 2002. “If it is approved by the Legislature, our applicants such as nonprofit arts and cultural organizations will be eligible to receive more grants, awards and other funding from us,” said John Bracey, executive director of the council.

Business & Economy

Innovators with tech ideas can get new state money

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BY JENNIFER CHEN
Capital News Service
LANSING – A new fund has been launched to attract technology innovation projects for making state government better serve its citizens. Gov. Rick Snyder has created a board to manage nearly $2.5 million form the general fund in loans to advance technology within government departments. “We’re now taking Michigan to the next level by providing start-up funding to encourage greater innovation and efficiency,” Snyder said. “These improvements will lead to new best practices that will drive Michigan’s success in the global economy.”
It would be the first such program in the country and allows government to integrate at both state and local levels. The funds will be loans for selected projects, according to Kurt Weiss, public information officer for the Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

Education

State change allows educational alcohol consumption

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Editors: For localization potential note list of community colleges with culinary and hospitality programs at end of story
By SAM INGLOT
Capital News Service
LANSING– Michigan community college and university students can now have alcohol in class. That doesn’t mean students can crack open a beer in the middle of math. Gov. Rick Snyder recently signed into law a bill that allows accredited culinary or hospitality business programs to serve alcohol on campus. But the occasion must help students learn more about the industry. Before the law some colleges couldn’t host events that served alcohol as part of instruction because Michigan liquor laws prohibit alcohol from being served on state-owned land.

Business & Economy

Layoffs could be eased by state work share program

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By JACOB KANCLERZ
Capital News Service
LANSING – To reduce layoffs during tough times, Gov. Rick Snyder, legislators and business groups favor a program that allows both businesses and the state unemployment insurance program to contribute to workers’ paychecks. The program, known as work sharing, allows businesses to keep employees during down periods in the economy by reducing their hours and wages. A part of the employees’ lost income is then made up through partial payments of unemployment insurance. The program is an alternative to full unemployment benefits paid to laid-off workers. Unemployment insurance is funded through payroll taxes on Michigan businesses.

Health

Lawmakers weigh court efficiency incentives; counties fear loss of revenue

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By JACOB KANCLERZ
Capital News Service
LANSING – Michigan counties could lose up to $60 million if they don’t get their courts to comply with best financial practices under proposed incentives supported by Gov. Rick Snyder. A bill before the House Appropriations Committee would tie counties’ access to local court revenues to incentives designed to save money and encourage consolidation. The money is generated by court fees and other revenues and redistributed to counties to pay for the court system and other general expenses, said Deena Bosworth, the legislative aide for the Michigan Association of Counties. Bosworth is opposed to the bill, saying counties don’t have direct control over what courts do, putting them at risk of losing a critical portion of the state funding that they need. “They’re the third branch of government, which counties don’t have control over,” she said.

Business & Economy

Overseas investors with money promised green cards for jobs

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By COURTNEY CULEY
Capital News Service
LANSING – Foreign investors willing to put up a large lump sum can receive a green card under a federal program that Gov. Rick Snyder wants to use to bring capital to Michigan. The EB-5 Visa Program provides 10,000 immigrant visas each year to investors willing to make at least a $500,000 investment and create ten jobs, said Phil Santer, capital services associate for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. At the beginning of his term, Snyder launched The Global Michigan Initiative to attract international entrepreneurs to Michigan. “The goal is to increase availability of capital in Michigan,” Santer said. Snyder hopes to do that through the EB-5 Visa Program.

Business & Economy

Small towns could lose control of state road funding

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Attention editors: List of Michigan cities that could lose control of this road funding is at end of story. By SAM INGLOT
Capital News Service
LANSING–More than 100 small Michigan communities may lose control of state road funds if Gov. Rick Snyder’s recently proposed reforms take effect. The change in local spending is one of many Snyder outlined in a special message on roadway and transportation reforms. It would take state road funding from cities and villages that receive less than $50,000 and give it to counties to distribute. The goal of the proposal is to cut costs by cutting layers of bureaucracy. But it has some small town officials nervous.