State Surplus Grows
The state is bringing in more money than previously predicted, according to a reportby the non-partisan state Senate Fiscal Agency. Laura Weber reports:
The agency says Michigan ended the fiscal year that ended September 30th with a $1.3 billion surplus. An improving economy and lower income tax refunds are largely credited for the surplus. But much of the windfall has already been dedicated to programs in the current fiscal year. David Zin, an economist with the Senate Fiscal Agency, says the state collected more tax revenue in 2011 than projected last year.
New Superintendent for GRPS
Former Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Bernard Taylor was granted an immediate leave of absence last night by the Grand Rapids school board. Lindsey Smith reports:
In June 2011, Taylor agreed to resign from Grand Rapids schools by June 2012. That agreement came after he was a finalist for other jobs beginning last spring. It’s unclear why Taylor asked to leave now. The request came in an official letter dated December 27th. He’ll use all of his vacation and sick days left. The district would have had to pay him for those anyway. The interim superintendent will be Assistant Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal.
Sugar Bowl Win for Michigan
The 13th ranked University of Michigan football team won last night’s Sugar Bowl against 17th ranked Virginia Tech. “Brendan Gibbons drilled a 37-yard field goal down the middle in overtime to lift Michigan to a 23-20 victory… The victory capped an impressive debut season for head coach Brady Hoke, who has led the Wolverines (11-2) back to prominence with a BCS bowl victory. Denard Robinson highlighted an otherwise unspectacular night with touchdown passes of 45 and 18 yards to Junior Hemingway,” the Associated Press reports.
