Despite decades on Eastern Daylight Time (sorry, couldn’t resist), our neighbors to the North seem to be having some trouble. Michigan lawmakers are at an impasse that might result in a government shut down. The issue seems to be this. The Democratic Governor Granholm is fighting red-ink Republicanism, unwilling to spend money the government doesn’t have. The Republican Senate is unwilling to raise taxes. Neither side is apparently willing to specify cuts necessary to balance the budget.
Granholm said that if an agreement cannot be reached today, she will provide details today about what services will be maintained and what will be suspended. On Wednesday she said that the three Detroit casinos will close at midnight Sunday and Lottery sales will be suspended. Additionally, she said liquor distribution to bars and stores would cease, state parks and welcome centers and Secretary of State branch offices would close.
Admittedly I know nothing about this Michigan situation.
But why would you shut down things that bring in money – like lottery sales and casinos? That’s just backward.
She wants higher taxes and so she threatens to take away voters’ favorite government-controlled toys until she gets them.
The question is: Who will Michigan voters blame? Judgeing from the few polls I’ve seen from up there, she may be playing a losing hand.
Politically, I have no idea. But it seems like a rational negotiating tactic for a Governor to shut everything down until the legislature forwards a budget that’s balanced either with higher taxes or cut services.
Good one about EDT Doug as staying togther with Michigan was a big factor at the South Bend hearings. Seems like we have hitched our horse to a losing wagon.
With the same ruling that divided Indiana in 1961 the ICC extented the eastern zone to the middle of Lake Michigan. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 required a entire state to observe DST or not at all. It was a good law but did not take into account divided states such as Indiana. EDT was not acceptable for most living in the eastern zone but the people in the central zone wanted CDT. The Act was amended in 1972 to allow a state divided like Indiana to observe standard in one part and DST in the other.
In the meantime Michigan had a number of referendums that rejected EDT. A 1970 referendum passed by a slim margin.Interesting enought that was the last of the referendums and Michigan has observed EDT ever since.
The 1969 Indiana General Assembly passed a bill placing Indiana on standard time but Governor Whitcomb vetoed it and the eastern section observed EDT in 1969 and 1970. The 1971 General Assembly overrode the veto and we settled into the arrangement we had until 2005.
What if Indiana wasn’t on EDT in 1970? Would the 1970 Michigan referendum have passed?
I am sure part of Michigan’s problems are caused by EDT. You can’t mess with mother nature. It may just be me but I sensed a malasie here in Indianapolis even before the property tax fiasco. Has anyone else noticed the same thing?