Zoe Clark

By now, it's probably not news to you that Michigan holds the nation’s next presidential primary on February 28th. And, it’s likely to be a doozy. It’s even been likened to one of the nation’s most historically important wars by Bloomberg News:  “For Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, Michigan may be their political Gettysburg."

Every Wednesday we sit down with Michigan Radio's Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry to take a look at state politics. On tap for today: Jack and I talk about the influence Michigan's Republican presidential primary will have on the national GOP race, new polling data that shows Rick Santorum ahead of Mitt Romney in the mitten state, and a look at Romney's recent Op-Ed in the Detroit News.

Every Monday, we're checking in with people who are  trying to do what they think is needed to improve life for people in Michigan. This morning we speak with Sean Tracy. He’s a truck driver and World War II buff, and he’s working to show gratitude to the nation’s veterans—especially World War II vets. He builds models of the planes or ships the veterans served on while they were on active duty and gives them as gifts to the vets he finds.

*This story was informed by the Public Insight Network. Add your story here.

Rick Pluta and I have been talking state politics on Fridays and today we take a look at Michigan's presidential primary, former West Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra's controversial TV ad, and Governor Rick Snyder's budget proposal.

Michigan Matters

This was a huge week for Rick Santorum which, in turn, meant it was a big week for Michigan politicos. Michigan and Arizona hold the nation’s next primaries on February 28 (Maine holds a caucus tomorrow). That means the Republican candidates will be looking to Michigan for their next win. On Wednesday, Santorum told MSNBC that, “we think Michigan is a great place for us to plant our flag and talk about jobs and manufacturing.” For Santorum, his campaign needs to continue the momentum before Super Tuesday (on March 6) to be considered a serious threat to Romney. Romney, meanwhile, needs a win in Michigan to stop Santorum's momentum. Newt Gingrich will be hoping for a win in Michigan, although it’s unlikely after Tuesday night’s results, and Ron Paul will hope for a decent showing in the mitten state.

“Will Romney win? That sure seems to be where the smart money goes. But are there opportunities to make sure it’s not a [Romney] domination? That opportunity does seem to exist,” Pluta explains. Pluta and I recently explored what some of those opportunities are.

The Super Bowl ad that had many saying, "huh?"

We couldn’t talk about the week’s political news without mentioning the controversy that continues over Republican Senatorial candidate Pete Hoekstra’s campaign ad that premiered last Sunday in which an Asian woman speaks in broken English. The ad was called “racially insensitive” and “xenophobic” and it’s even been parodied by the website FunnyOrDie.com. Now, the Hoekstra campaign is out with another ad, this time it doesn’t mention China. And, one of Hoekstra’s opponents in the Republican Senatorial primary, Clark Durant, premiered an ad of his own. “Durant saw an opportunity, decided not to wait to run his first ad of the campaign… and it’s a lot more positive [than the Hoekstra ad] and… the subtle message is, ‘we’re better than this,’” Pluta notes.

A kinder, gentler budget

Finally, Pluta and I take a look at the politics behind the budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 that was unveiled by the Governor yesterday at the state Capitol. Unlike last year, this year the budget is, “very, very different… It is a much kinder, gentler budget.”

Governor Rick Snyder spoke to Michigan Radio’s Jennifer White about his budget proposal for fiscal year 2013.

In the proposal are some funding increases for education, public safety and infrastructure.

He says, “We had many requests, many things we wanted to look at…first it was a case of saying we got to live within our means…you have to prioritize….you just don’t give a little bit to too many things so nothing really improves. It was really to focus on key areas.”

Snyder did focus on education and says, “…the issue in our educational system is not a money issue, it’s a performance issue.”

Governor Snyder will present his budget proposal for the next fiscal year this morning at the state Capitol.

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley told Michigan Public Radio Network’s Laura Weber that he expects budget negotiations will go more smoothly this year than in recent years. ‘The reason why last year’s budget was difficult is because it actually did fix the structural problems that had plagued us for so long. And because we did all the hard work last year, it makes movement in a more positive direction where we can all grow and invest together,” Calley explained.

Details of the Governor's budget have started to leak out and here's what we know so far:

From the Detroit News:

Gov. Rick Snyder will propose investing an additional $45 million in public safety as part of his 2013 budget proposal... Snyder noted in his State of the State address in January that Michigan has four cities — Detroit, Flint, Pontiac and Saginaw — that regularly turn up on the nation's Top 10 list of most violent cities. The governor has promised to roll out a detailed crime-fighting strategy in a Special Message to the Legislature on Public Safety in March.

From the Associated Press:

A projected budget surplus means an estimated 37,000 state of Michigan workers represented by unions won't have to take furlough days this fiscal year. The unionized workers had been expected to take up to four furlough days each in the fiscal year that ends September 30th. The furlough days were announced last fall because unions did not reach an agreement on concessions with Governor Rick Snyder's administration.

Later in the day, the Governor will hold a virtual town hall meeting to discuss his budget. The AP reports:

Snyder was so happy with how his town hall meeting on Facebook went after last month's State of the State address that he's holding another one. This time the governor will take residents' questions just after he presents his 2012-13 budget proposal to lawmakers on Thursday. Viewers can watch the hour-long town hall meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. on the Rick Snyder for Michigan Facebook page.

You can submit questions at online at www.michigan.gov/townhall. Or, post questions on the Governor’s facebook page.

Presidential Candidates Turn Focus on Michigan

After Rick Santorum’s sweep of last night’s primary and caucuses in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado, the candidates running to become the next Republican presidential nominee are setting their sights on Michigan. The state holds the nation’s next primary, along with Arizona, on February 28th (Maine holds its caucus this Saturday). Mitt Romney’s campaign has announced that the former Massachusetts Governor will speak at Ford Field in Detroit four days before the primary and Santorum told a cable TV news program this morning that his campaign will “plant our flag” in the mitten-state. Meanwhile, President Obama was in Michigan on January 27th speaking about college affordability on the University of Michigan campus.

Foreclosure Settlement

Michigan is expected to reap a half billion dollars from a settlement between 40 states and five of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders, Steve Carmody reports. From Carmody:

Michigan has been among the hardest hit states in the foreclosure crisis. The settlement will help homeowners who were in foreclosure between 2008 and 2011. Bank of America, Ally Financial, Wells Fargo, J.P. Morgan Chase and Citigroup are the banks in the settlement. The deal will settle complaints the mortgage lenders wrongly foreclosed on borrowers and forged documents. Part of the deal involves helping homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth, to refinance their mortgages. The exact size of the national settlement is unclear.

Increased Sales Tax?

Michigan voters may soon decide whether the state should scrap the nineteen-cents-per-gallon tax on gas at the pump in favor of a sales tax increase of 1 percent. “The change would help generate more money for transportation funding. A proposal to put the question to voters is gaining momentum with some legislative leaders. That change would require a constitutional amendment and put the question to voters on the ballot. Republican state Senator Howard Walker sponsored the measure. He said if taxpayers are asked to pay more to fix the state’s roads, they should have a voice,” Laura Weber reports. Governor Snyder says the state needs more than one billion dollars in additional transportation funding to fix the state’s crumbling roads and bridges.

Headlines across the country are proclaiming big news from last night’s primary and caucuses in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado. Headlines like Santorum revives his campaign with wins and Santorum’s Sweep Shakes up Race make it clear: Rick Santorum had a pretty darn good Tuesday night. The former U.S. Senator won all three states in play.

Although, no delegates were assigned, Santorum has something else: momentum. “Together, the three states voting Tuesday will eventually award 128 delegates. But Missouri was a ‘beauty contest’ with no delegates at stake, while Minnesota and Colorado were nonbinding events with delegates to be chosen this spring. At stake Tuesday night was the prestige of winning. And Santorum nailed down three upsets to restore an air of viability to his candidacy,” the Washington Post explains. The Post continues:

Santorum’s wins across the Midwest Tuesday could bestow new legitimacy on his insurgent efforts and boost his fundraising in the critical period before nextmonth’s major contests. Santorum now appears to pose a more serious threat not only to Romney, but also to Gingrich, who had been positioning himself as the logical alternative to Romney.

 

Republican Congressman Mike Rogers represents Michigan’s 8th district. He also serves as the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Recently, he held the annual Open Hearing on Worldwide Threats Facing the U.S. Congressman Rogers spoke to Michigan Radio's Jennifer White.

Open Meetings for EM

An Ingham County Court Judge has ruled that the state review team currently looking into Detroit’s finances must meet in public. Sarah Cwiek reports:

The ruling is a victory for opponents of Public Act 4, the state law that strengthens the powers of emergency managers in fiscally-distressed cities. The review team, led by State Treasurer Andy Dillon, is going through the review process that could lead Governor Snyder t0 appoint an emergency manager in Detroit. It’s also a victory for Robert Davis, the Highland Park school board member and union activist who filed the lawsuit just last week. Davis argued that the state review process preceding the appointment of an emergency manager violated the Open Meetings Act, because the review team meets behind closed doors.

Moroun Court Update

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards was, “within his rights to send the owner of the Ambassador Bridge to jail for disregarding court orders but should have made it clear what steps the 84-year-old billionaire businessman could take to win his freedom,” the Associated Press reports. On January 12th, Judge Edwards ordered, Manuel “Moroun and associate Dan Stamper to jail for repeatedly failing to follow his orders to work with the state and complete a redevelopment project on the Detroit side of the bridge to Windsor, Ontario. The appeals court ordered them freed pending its ruling. Edwards holds another hearing Thursday,” the AP explains.

Hutaree Jury Selection

Jury selection is scheduled to begin today in the case of members of a Christian militia group accused of plotting attacks on Michigan police officers. “Members of the Hutaree Militia are accused of plotting to murder a police officer. Then attack the officer’s funeral procession, in order to kill more law enforcement officers. Authorities arrested nine members of the group in March  2010,” Steve Camordy reports. The trial is expected to last six to ten weeks.