Despite data center protests on the mainland, business leaders at a Mackinac Island conference urged elected officials and candidates to back proposed projects — even as policymaker misgivings grow.
Political and Public Policy Information
Posted inPolitical and Public Policy Information, Transportation
Wayne County transit millage explained: what it is, how much it costs
The Free Press recently spoke with officials from Wayne County, SMART and the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) about the proposed millage and how it will affect residents and taxpayers. Here is what to know:
Posted inMichigan Government, Political and Public Policy Information
2026 Michigan Voter Guide. What to know
Key dates, deadlines and resources to help you navigate Michigan’s 2026 elections.
Posted inHousing, Political and Public Policy Information
Detroit’s high property taxes are driving a housing affordability crisis – how can city leaders bring down costs?
Detroiters paid the highest effective property tax rate among major cities in the United States at 3.02% in 2024, according to a study from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Posted inGuest Commentary, Health and Welfare, Political and Public Policy Information
New SNAP rules requiring that benefits be used at stores selling healthier food could backfire
Under the stricter new rules, all retailers accepting SNAP as payment must sell at least seven kinds of food in each of those four categories.
Posted inEnvironment, Political and Public Policy Information
What EPA’s PFAS rollback means for contaminated Michigan drinking water
The Trump administration announces it’s rescinding federal drinking water limits for four of six PFAS compounds, weakening protections for Michigan communities dealing with widespread contamination from the toxic “forever chemicals.”
Posted inHealth and Welfare, Michigan Government, Political and Public Policy Information
Two deaths at Michigan’s women’s prison renew concerns over medical care
Two women died within four days at Michigan’s only women’s prison, prompting renewed scrutiny of medical care, staffing shortages and treatment delays.
Posted inPolice & Public Safety, Political and Public Policy Information
After teen is shot downtown, Detroit police stress curfew enforcement
It comes as city officials ramp up efforts to stem summer violence, offer teens safe evening activities, and keep youths from swarming downtown as they did earlier in the year, startling business owners and running into police.
Posted inHealth and Welfare, Political and Public Policy Information
Detroit’s water affordability crisis is tied to the uneven distribution of stormwater management costs – a fraught history explains why
Utility bills are the primary source of revenue for public water and wastewater systems. Yet both the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, or DWSD, and GLWA are caught in what utility experts call an affordability gap.
Posted inHealth and Welfare, Political and Public Policy Information
Michigan teen tobacco use ticks up as prevention funding lags
Michigan spends far less on tobacco prevention than the federal government recommends. As teen use begins to climb again, health advocates say that should change.