The parents of most public school students who live far from or can’t safely walk to school are accustom to having their child’s transportation provided to and from school without charge. But that reality — one that, until now, was probably taken for granted by many parents — could become a distant memory if Michigan lawmakers enact a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives late last month. The legislation obviously is prompted by [...]

After being unable to return a substantial amount of bicycles to their owners since last year, the Waterford Township Police Department has decided to forego the traditional policy of selling the unclaimed bicycles at auction — which only nets a couple bucks for each bicycle anyway — and instead give the bikes away to charity and religious organizations for children in the township. Mostly benevolence but also not without a dash of practicality, the department [...]

Using county’s free water sampling service is a no-brainer @Opinion:Although the official start of summer is just short of two weeks away, the Oakland County Health Division, with the help of four unpaid summer interns, is setting out to monitor 44 public beaches on 37 county lakes for dangerous levels of bacteria until the end of July. This is nothing new, and it’s a program we’ve applauded in the past because of the public health [...]

State representatives have approved a bill that would give all property owners contributing to lake assessments the ability to dissolve lake improvement boards. The legislation would rectify what appear to be a couple of oversights in current state laws on lake improvement boards, which makes its final adoption worthwhile. Lake improvement boards are established to provide maintenance and improvement of inland lakes, including weed control, dredging, or installing a dam or augmentation well. Local governments [...]

Legislation that would allow local governments to collaborate on water quality issues has been introduced in the state House of Representatives. The proposal has the potential to make it more cost-effective for local units of government to take on water quality monitoring and enhancement projects. Given the significant role lakes play in the west Oakland way life, we expect to see each member of the lakes area’s House and Senate delegations support the proposal. House [...]

Taking a hint from other communities in the area that have gone in the same direction, Commerce Township officials have opted to implement a trial four-day work week this summer beginning next Friday, June 10, and ending on Sept. 30. While it may not be ideal for those who want to utilize the township offices on Fridays during that period, the Board of Trustees took a step in the right direction by putting a four-day [...]

Attempts are based on ideology, not bona fide misconduct @Opinion:In this frenetic, dizzying and yes, even frustrating time in Michigan, we’re not surprised to learn of someone attempting to recall an elected official, much like what a Waterford resident is attempting to do to state Rep. Gail Haines (R-Waterford, West Bloomfield). But she’s not the only one targeted: Gov. Rick Snyder and a host of state lawmakers around Michigan are also the object of citizens’ [...]

A lakes area lawmaker has co-sponsored a bill that would maintain a state film industry incentive program, albeit at a scaled-back level. The proposal is grounded in a fair measure of reason, making it well worthy of adoption. Gov. Rick Snyder and GOP legislative leadership announced last week that a deal had been reached on a $25-million annual film incentive program as part of the state’s Fiscal Year 2011-12 budget. The state’s film tax credit [...]

Michigan lawmakers continue to seek ways to overhaul state spending practices in light of the depressed revenue stream of the past few years. In an attempt to reduce spending from the General Fund and School Aid Fund, two bills recently introduced in the House would require the Legislature to make appropriations from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (NRTF) each fiscal year to make full payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) on state-owned land purchased [...]

On the heels of sweeping education changes proposed late last month by Gov. Rick Snyder, who has not shied away from sometimes controversial reforms — love ‘em or hate ‘em — Lansing lawmakers, including state Rep. Eileen Kowall (R-Highland, White Lake), are attempting to change the formula by which the state’s per-pupil funding is calculated. The proposal, House Bill (HB) 4562, which got a lukewarm response from the chairman of the Appropriations Committee where it [...]