Voting - Registered? Did you need to request an absentee ballot?

Walled Lake Schools is asking the community to RENEW the non-homestead and hold-harmless operating millage on the Nov. 4 ballot.  THIS IS A RENEWAL and is NOT AN INCREASE in taxes.

The 18 mill non-homestead (generally applies to businesses or those with second homes) millage represents $23 million of the District’s operating budget while the 3.9 mill hold harmless renewal millage represents $7 million of the District’s budget.

This is a total of $30 million 20 percent of the District’s one year only total budget. (Current yearly budget is $154 million).  This loss of revenue would be devastating for our district.

If you have not done so, please register to vote at the link below BY OCTOBER 6^th!

ClickHERE to register to vote by the October 6 deadline.

To vote by ABSENTEE BALLOT:

1. An Absentee Voter Application - Click HERE for the absentee voter application
2. A list of local offices that this application can be sent to or delivered to:  Click HERE for a list of municipal offices.

You can request Absentee Voter Ballots through the Saturday before the election!   But sometimes, sooner is better!

2012 Amendments to Retirement Act Legislation & YOUR 2010 3% payment!

A REPORT FROM:

Michael M. Shoudy, General Counsel

Michigan Education Association

Oral argument on the 2012 amendments to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement Act (Public Act 300) is scheduled to take place before the Michigan Supreme Court on October 9, 2014 during the morning session.  THIS IS NOT THE 3% CASE BASED ON THE 2010 AMENDMENTS TO Michigan Public School Employees Retirement Act (PUBLIC ACT 75).   

The 2012 case relates to elections that members of the retirement system were required to make in 2013.  We lost this case in the lower courts.  After legal arguments on October 9 are presented, the Court officially has until 2015 to render its decision.  However, we are hopeful that a decision will be issued in 2014.

The 2010 case relates to the 3% withheld from wages.  That money is currently being held in escrow by court order.  In that case, we won in the trial court and in front of the Michigan Court of Appeals.  The State of Michigan appealed the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court.  On May 22, 2014, the Michigan Supreme Court issued an order putting this case on hold, stating they wanted to decide the 2012 case first.   While the MEA understands how important the 2010 case is to our members, there is no mechanism to force the Court to decide the case.  We have asked that the Court to expedite its decision regarding the 3%.     

Check out new PRO-Union Commercial

From Capitol Comments:

MEA member Karen Koch shares the last name of the infamous Koch brothers who are using their vast wealth to "buy" the election of Republican candidates supporting their conservative agenda. But that's where the similarity ends. And that's why Karen is co-starring in in a new national advertising campaign  sponsored by the AFL-CIO. 

Karen is a business instructor at Mott Community College and she's featured in the ad with Joyce Koch, a retired New Jersey teacher. The two ladies aren't related. However, they do share opposition to the Koch brothers' unlimited spending that pushes an anti-democracy and anti-union agenda.

Karen and Joyce were chosen because they represent the middle class. In the ad, Karen says, "We're just two average women who've raised families and worked hard here all of our lives." 

This is the first in a series of ads which will run nationally, but will also be seen in the Lansing area. The Koch brothers and their political arm, Americans for Prosperity, have spent more than $4 million here in Michigan attacking Gary Peters, MEA's recommended candidate for U.S. Senate. Last month, they also put big money behind ads encouraging MEA members to opt-out of the union.

Click HERE to see the commercial!

Stand up for KIDS!! Not CEOs!

Follow the link below to the "Stand up for Kids, Not CEOs" website.  There you will find the third installment of the "Kids, not CEO's" Commercials!

Click HERE!

Gov. Snyder gave a $1.8 BILLION tax break to rich CEOs and corporate interests, paid for by cuts to local schools. These cuts have forced cuts to music and sports programs, and left parents picking up the tab for everything from arts the athletics.