Inside and outside of Oakland

Democrats hold education meeting in advance of conference committee

  The public is invited to an Education Task Force meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, May 23, in the Ferndale High School library at 881 Pinecrest about Gov. Rick Snyder's budget proposals and their affect on Michigan schools.

GOP accuses Democrats of gerrymandering county maps

  A new map of 25 county commission districts was approved Friday that potentially puts three Republicans at risk in the 2012 election, as well as GOP control of the county commission.

Town hall meeting this evening tackles future of Michigan schools

  Per pupil funding, collective bargaining, teacher certification, charter schools and schools of choice — they're all on the table in a town hall meeting this evening on The Future of Michigan Schools.

  From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at CMNtv studios in Troy, moderator Charlie Langton and a panel of five will debate the merits of Gov. Rick Snyder's education reform proposals and take questions from the audience, by phone and via Twitter.

New commission districts could be final Friday

  Oakland County’s 25 county commissioners — and the people who might run against them in the future — will likely know Friday what their new districts will look like in the 2012 election.

GOP advocates tax cut; Dems more education funding

  The estimates for state revenues came in higher than expected Monday and conservative Republicans lost no time suggesting how the higher-than-expected revenues should be used.

Michigan May revenue estimates positive; governor's office warns against "kicking the can down the road"

   Michigan's general fund revenues are expected to show improvement of $340 million and the School Aid Fund by $115 million when the May revenue estimating conference is held Monday morning in Lansing.

Aug. 2 primary ballot set in Oakland County

  In November, Oakland County voters will elect 29 city councils and 19 school boards.
  But voters in some communities will go to the polls Aug. 2 for primaries to whittle down the field of candidates in the nonpartisan elections.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Should Michigan tax pensions?

  Republicans in the state Senate are poised today to approve changes to Michigan’s tax structure, including tax cuts for corporations and new taxes on pensions.

A little tea please?

   Two years after the tea party burst out in opposition to national health care reform, tea party groups say they're here to stay.

Coming Up: Redistricting

  PONTIAC — The Oakland County Reapportionment Committee meets at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Committee Room A next to the Board of Commissioners Auditorium adjacent to the county courthouse at 1200 N. Telegraph.

Stabenow calls for end to oil subsidies as gas prices rise


  U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow picked a Marathon gas station in Southfield Friday to highlight the difficulties of rising gasoline prices and to press her case for removing taxpayer subsidies for oil companies making record profits.

Friday forum will tackle the thorny issue of mortgage fraud

  State Sen. Jim Marleau, R-Lake Orion, holds a news conference at 11 a.m. Friday at the Oakland County courthouse to discuss mortgage fraud.

Sen. Stabenow in Southfield to talk about high gas prices Friday

  U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow is holding a news conference at 10:30 a.m. Friday at a Southfield gas station to discuss rising gas prices.