Paper Trail

The University of Michigan's student newspaper, the Michigan Review, wrote an extensive piece on the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation's case on behalf of home-based day care providers who have been shanghaied into a union. The article culminates in a discussion of the implications for families:

In areas like Flint, with an unemployment rate of over 26 percent, more parents receive this type of aid. Daycare providers who want to avoid dealing with the union dues have the option of rejecting prospective clients who receive this type of aid. Being rejected and not being able to find childcare could pose as a serious roadblock for these parents. This type of federal subsidy "is supposed to help people to get from welfare to work because it is for either parents who are working jobs or in school to get training so that they can work jobs," according to [MCLF Director Patrick] Wright. People may have to travel farther to find affordable care. All of these scenarios are going to impact those families that this money was supposed to be helping.

The Bay City Times sought Michael LaFaive's comment on the Bay City Commissioners' decision to hold their annual meeting in Traverse City:

Michael LaFaive, director of fiscal policy for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, said while it's unfortunate the retreat is so far away, it's not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

"How open is it if there is a hurdle placed before the citizens of Bay City (to be there)?" he said. "But still this a rare event ... and I doubt if any final decisions will occur at this session. I don't think the Bay City Commission is that calculating."

LaFaive also applauded the fact that no taxpayer dollars are being used for the trip — although commissioners can get reimbursed for travel expenses not covered by the chamber, such as mileage.

Mackinac Center Scholar David Littmann was cited in the Flint Journal on the millions of stimulus dollars flowing into the state. The paper quotes Littmann as saying, "The public service employees are the best off of the lot, but I don’t consider that legitimate measure of economic prosperity." According to the article, "Littmann said true economic growth with jobs will come from the private sector and we will know that is happening when the unemployment rate begins to fall."

The Macomb Daily praised the Mackinac Center's efforts to increase transparency in government. Using data provided by the Mackinac Center's Show Michigan the Money project, the Daily noted, "There's no practical reason why more school districts in the state, and Macomb County in particular, can't get on board with this excellent idea for transparency."

The Daily also cited Mackinac Center figures in an article on a proposed bill to cap superintendent salaries.

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