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In this morning's news...

Debate Over the Earned Income Tax Credit

Republican lawmakers in Lansing are working to get rid of a tax credit for the working poor in Michigan, Laura Weber reports. But, Gilda Jacobs, Director of the Michigan League for Human Services, says the Earned Income Tax Credit is needed, “While we recognize the desire for everybody in the state to share in the sacrifice, poor people are being asked to be the sacrificial lambs. The Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit, which helps low- and moderate-income working households, should not be the first credit considered among Michigan’s $34 billion list of tax expenditures, including tax breaks for big corporations… ". Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger says the state can’t afford the EITC.

Time to Allow Guns in Gun-Free Zones?

Michigan State Senator Mike Green wants to allow Michiganders with concealed carry permits to take their weapons into churches, bars and other ‘gun-free zones’. Senator Green introduced the legislation yesterday in the state Senate. A decade ago state lawmakers banned gun owners from taking their weapons into certain public places, Steve Carmody reports. An identical bill was introduced in the state House last week.

Trial Date Set for ‘Underwear’ Bomber

A federal judge has set October 4th as the date for the trial of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man charged with trying to blow up an airplane headed for Detroit on Christmas Day, 2009. As the Detroit News reports:

Abdulmutallab was arraigned last month on a superseding indictment. The indictment added a charge of conspiracy to commit terrorism to his other charges that include attempted murder inside an aircraft, taking a bomb on a plane and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors say he tried to kill nearly 300 people aboard the flight. Prosecutors say he tried setting off a chemical explosive hidden in his underwear as the aircraft descended toward Metro Airport on Dec. 25, 2009. The explosion never happened, but Abdulmutallab suffered burns before passengers and crew dragged him from his seat and extinguished the blaze.

Zoe Clark is Michigan Public's Political Director. In this role, Clark guides coverage of the state Capitol, elections, and policy debates.