This Week's File

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Sept. 7, 2007 – Week 1

To: CNS Editors

From: Eric Freedman & Vic Rauch

NEW SEMESTER LAUNCHED: Our cadre of eight new CNS correspondents is at work, and this is their first file of the fall. Our first group interview was with Terrence Jungel, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association.

WELCOME TO GLADWIN: The Gladwin County Record is the newest member of our Capital News Service family.

HAL AHEAD: On Monday, your correspondents will interview William Anderson, director of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Potential interview topics include cultural economic development and tourism, the fate of state aid for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, funding for public libraries and challenges facing the state system of museums and historic sites.

HERE’S YOUR FILE:

SALESTAX: A Romeo lawmaker says families deserve an annual sales tax break when they shop for clothes, supplies and other school-related products. A Troy legislator and the Michigan Retailers Association say it’s a good idea that will stimulate the economy, but concerns are raised that the proposed sales tax holiday will reduce revenue used for state aid to public education. Among the co-sponsors are senators from Lapeer, Traverse City, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. By Gregory Herbert. FOR ROMEO, MACOMB, OAKLAND, LAPEER, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, SOUTH BEND, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

PHONFEE: A proposed $1.35 monthly surcharge on cell and land phone lines would provide more money for law enforcement programs without raising taxes, say backers, including the Gladwin police chief. But critics of the proposal, including a legislator from  Farwell and the executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association say that’s the wrong way to pay for crime-fighting activities. It’s sponsored by representatives from Detroit and Alpena. By Hayley Outslay. FOR GLADWIN, CLARE, UP NORTH, ALPENA, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS

STOPPEDMACOMB.  A popular program that allows law enforcement officers to rat out teens to their parents after a traffic stop has dead-ended at the Macomb County Line. That’s because Sheriff Mark Hackel says STOPPED (Sheriffs Telling Our Parents and Promoting Educated Drivers) is an impractical drain on officers’ time and discriminates based on age. Most of his colleagues disagree, including the sheriffs of Monroe, Wayne and Oakland counties. So far, 70 of the state’s 83 counties participate in the program organized by the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association and AAA. By Melanie Trusty. FOR MACOMB, ROMEO, OAKLAND, MONROE, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

COUNTDOWNTOCHAOS: A bake sale outside the Capitol peddled $75 million doughnuts—but enticed no buyers. Instead, representatives of local governments, nonprofit organizations and lobbying groups from a loose coalition called Countdown to Chaos used the event to push for a speedy agreement on a state budget. We hear from a school board member from Oakland County, the Imlay City schools superintendent, the East Lansing mayor and the head of the Michigan League for Human Services. They want the Legislature and governor to reach agreement on closing a $1.8 billion budget gap before the Oct. 1 deadline. By Andrew F. Mutavdzija. FOR OAKLAND, LAPEER, LANSING, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

CORRECTIONS:  Many law enforcement officials, including the Antrim County prosecutor and undersheriff and the Saginaw County prosecutor, are complaining about proposals to change some felonies to misdemeanors, which carry shorter potential sentences, and to release more state prison inmates. The Corrections Department disagrees with their argument that the changes would put economics ahead of public safety. By Tim Alberta. FOR UP NORTH, PETOSKEY, TRAVERSE CITY & ALL POINTS.

CYBERSAFETY: St. Joseph County schools may adopt the new Michigan Cyber Safety Initiative, a program to educate children to avoid becoming victims of online predators. Attorney Gen. Mike Cox launched the program, which will teach students to keep personal information private and to report inappropriate online activities. We hear from school officials in White Pigeon, Sturgis and Three Rivers and from a sheriff’s detective. By David Salisbury. FOR THREE RIVERS, STURGIS, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.

STOPPEDNORTHWEST:  Since its June launch, Grand Traverse County’s STOPPED (Sheriffs Telling Our Parents and Promoting Educated Drivers) program hasn’t taken off as expected, but Leelanau County is gearing up to join. The Grand Traverse sheriff said participation is disappointing so far but he hopes that more parents of teens will register their vehicles in the voluntary program as they learn more about it. Among the other northwest Michigan participants are sheriffs’ departments in Antrim, Wexford, Kalkaska, Manistee and Missaukee counties. By Jeff Riley Jr. FOR LEELANAU, TRAVERSE CITY, UP NORTH, CADILLAC, LUDINGTON & ALL POINTS.

CNS

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