Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Capitol Confidential serves as a news platform for residents in Michigan looking for an alternative viewpoint to the typical "bigger government" solutions in policy discussions. CapCon provides reports from a free-market standpoint, focusing on public officials who advocate for reducing government size, those who oppose it, and those whose voting records contradict their stated positions.

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Consumers Energy makes 6th rate hike request in 6 years

5 days ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Jamie A. Hope

Consumers Energy’s request for a $436 million rate increase is one of the largest requests on record and comes just three months after a $154 million rate hike took effect. The regional monopoly provides natural gas and electricity to 6.8 million residents. Michigan Capitol Confidential reported in April on Consumers’ plan to request another rate increase from the Michigan Public Service Commission.
Legislators go fetch $5M for Macomb Humane Society

1 week ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Jamie A. Hope

Two members of the state House of Representatives have submitted nearly identical funding requests for $5 million that would go to the Humane Society of Macomb. It is a nonprofit animal shelter of which Rep. Joseph Aragona, R-Clinton Township, who did not request the money, sits on the board of directors. Reps. Karen Whitsett, a Democrat from Detroit, and Ron Robinson, R-Utica, each filed a request for a $5 million earmark.
Michigan’s EV push stalls: 82,000 of 2 million goal

1 week ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Scott McClallen

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s electric vehicle revolution is 4.12% of the way toward its goal. In 2021, Whitmer promised an electric future for Michigan and sought tax breaks toward that end. “As the auto industry zooms toward an electric future, we need to lower the up-front cost,” the governor posted on social media. “In my budget, I proposed cutting the sales tax on EVs, saving families up to $2,400.
What’s in your recycling bin?

2 weeks ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Scott McClallen

The city of Holland spied on some residents’ recycling bins for eight weeks in an attempt to keep inappropriate materials out of the bins. Holland deployed “high-tech cameras, global positioning systems, and computers” to analyze the containers, reads a May 2024 article posted on the city website.
Owosso YMCA could get $9.7 million from state taxpayers

2 weeks ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Jamie A. Hope

The YMCA in Owosso, a city with approximately 15,000 residents, could get nearly $10 million from state taxpayers, thanks to an earmark requested by a member of the Michigan House. Rep. Brian Begole, R-Antrim Township, requested $9.78 million in the 2026 budget for the Shiawassee Family YMCA. The YMCA is planning a full-facility renovation, according to his request. The renovation will be done in two phases, according to official documents.
SNAP fraud skyrockets as Michigan sends 738 new Bridge cards a day

2 weeks ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Scott McClallen

Michigan mailed out roughly 738 Bridge cards every day in 2024 for a total of 269,644 cards, according to a document obtained through a records request. Cards could be replaced for reasons such as theft, demagnetization of the card, or forgotten PINs. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services didn’t respond to a request for comment on how many cards were in each category.
Ann Arbor mulls green energy mandates as housing costs soar

2 weeks ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Jamie A. Hope

Ann Arbor's City Council is considering a green-energy housing ordinance that would increase red tape and expenses for rental housing owners at a time when the council is also concerned about a lack of affordable housing in the city. The proposed Green Rental Housing Ordinance aims to enforce new energy standards on rental housing.
Michigan students caught in tug-of-war between state and federal government

2 weeks ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Jamie A. Hope

Michigan college students could lose state financial aid if their institution does not adopt diversity, equity, and inclusion policies — and their institution could lose federal funding if it has one. The Michigan Senate’s bill to fund university education, Senate Bill 167, were it agreed to by the House and signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, would limit financial aid to students whose college has a DEI program.
Young Michiganders can make bank in trades, Mike Rowe says

3 weeks ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Scott McClallen

News Story Number of construction workers outnumbers auto workers as of 2023 Young Michiganders don’t need to earn a four-year college degree before landing a high-paying job, former Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe told around 600 people at a May 1 Mackinac Center event. When millennials and those in Generation Z were growing up, older people encouraged the youth to attend college, rather than trade schools.
Snowplows stall full EV adoption in Ann Arbor fleet

3 weeks ago | michigancapitolconfidential.com | Scott McClallen

The city of Ann Arbor owns or leases more electric vehicles than any other Michigan city, according to a Michigan Capitol Confidential analysis. The city has 76 electric vehicles and about 235 vehicles fueled by either gasoline or diesel, according to a document obtained through a records request. The city wants to transition every viable vehicle to electric, Missy Stults, Ann Arbor’s director of sustainability and innovations, told CapCon in a phone interview.