MIRS Monday Podcast

The budget-making race against the clock is underway in the state Capitol, as legislators have about two days to come together on a state spending plan before the new fiscal year begins. Also, MIRS continues sharing interviews from the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference. Sterling Heights Robert Lulgjuraj is running in one of Michigan's most competitive U.S. House seats ahead of the '26 elections. He says his last name might be hard to pronounce, but his values are easy to understand (3:58).  MIRS additionally catches up with Mitchell Nelson, the Michigan State Director of Humane World for Animals, who shares some of his policy goals for the year (22:51). 

This past weekend, MIRS podcast host Samantha Shriber covered the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, where candidates ahead of the '26 elections courted Republican activists and enthusiasts. She recaps what she saw with guests (1:16).  At the conference, MIRS met up with Republican Amir Hassan, the U.S. Navy veteran and Flint native running in Michigan's competitive 8th U.S. House district (9:24).  Also, 46th Gov. John Engler shares what it was like creating budgets with a political rival and later with an evenly divided state House in the '90s (21:11). 

Monday afternoon, MIRS spoke with former Gov. James Blanchard, Michigan's 45th governor from 1983 through 1990. In his second term, he served with a Republican-led Senate and Democratic-controlled House.  Gov. Blanchard shares his thoughts on government shutdowns, as both a federal and state government shutdown stand as possibilities if budget deals can't be reached. 

After the fatal shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, as well as bomb threats reportedly made against a Michigan lawmaker and Lieutenant Governor, has politics in 2025 become deadly? Also, should state legislators be embarrassed by talk of a fall government shutdown despite not living under the Great Recession circumstances experienced in the prior shutdowns?  MIRS discusses all of this and more with Sen. Veronica Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe), chair of the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee – and Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen), chair of the House Appropriations Human Services Subcommittee (2:04). 

MIRS sits down with Doug Heller, the director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America. He shares his takes and findings on the state of auto insurance in Michigan (1:10).  Also, the House's road funding proposal brings Michigan's funding for local buses up to $286.5 million, an all-time high. However, bus service leaders are worried about how the proposal could link the extra dollars to farebox recovery metrics, representing how much of operating costs are covered by passenger fares (24:15). 

When it comes to budget-making in the Michigan Legislature, how big of a problem are phantom employees, or state agency job posts that are funded for but not filled? How large of an issue are work project dollars set aside in the past, but there's been no progress on those projects?  Also, why do House Republicans instruct the state to follow the federal government's new work obligations for Medicaid recipients a year earlier for Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries?  For its Labor Day episode, MIRS hosts a roundtable discussion with Sen. Jeff Irwin, the Ann Arbor Democrat, and Millington Republican state Rep. Phil Green (6:58). 

What are the costs and lasting effects of a state government shutdown? MIRS sits down with government policy lawyer Steve Liedel, who was Gov. Jennifer Granholm's legal counsel. The last time the government shutdown was during Granholm's administration (1:00).  Also, MIRS talks to former state Representative Kurt Heise, a Plymouth Republican backing Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's independent bid for governor. Heise hopes the Michigan GOP doesn't take the same approach as the state's Democratic Party by targeting pro-Duggan party members (19:45).  Additionally, MIRS takes a virtual trip out-of-state to Texas, speaking with Andy Fish, Managing Partner of Texas Legislative Service, trying to better understand how mid-decade redistricting efforts became the latest Trump White House controversy (40:30). 

How are Democratic and Republican lawmakers reacting to suspicion around Lansing that there might be a looming government shutdown? Also what is the future of Michigan's business development strategy when the Democratic Attorney General suggests pausing funding to the economic development corporation until oversight is improved? Today's episode is a roundtable edition of MIRS Monday, featuring Sen. Joseph Bellino Jr. – the Monroe Republican – and Flushing Democratic Rep. Jasper Martus (3:45).  They also do a speed round of what policy ideas have promising, dead or unknown futures in a Democratic-run Senate and Republican-led House. 

MIRS meets Amanda Treppa, the 35-year-old Royal Oak Democrat running in the new 10th state Senate district. She shares how her early childhood in foster care and adult life in arts and fitness brought her into Michigan politics and policy. (1:00).  A group of Michigan engineering companies is launching a "direct citizen contact" effort, pushing Michiganders into calling on Senate Democrats to put forward a road funding proposal. They hope phone calls will lead to lawmakers staying at the bargaining until a 2025 road funding deal is complete (20:25).  MIRS also meets Gina Oliver, the senior director of the American Chemistry Council's Automotive Team. She talks about the state-level and national plastics industry, and wanting reform ramping up the country's advanced recycling capacity (37:30). 

What benefits do traditional partisan donors and volunteer bases see in backing Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's run for governor? Also, why do some public officials view 2025 as one of the final chances for a long time to get a new road funding deal done?  MIRS talks about all this and more with Luke Londo, Hazel Park's independent city council member and a former Metro Detroit communications professional (1:27).  Does ending or downsizing Biden-era clean energy tax credits create economic uncertainty, making it more difficult to attract new manufacturers and industries to Michigan? Frank Houston of the BlueGreen Alliance, Robert Joerg of the Michigan Laborers District Council and Bentley Johnson of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters think so (24:54). 

MIRS reported last week there are 19 Democrats filed to run in open or Republican incumbent-held state Senate seats ahead of 2026. But for Republicans, there are six of such new challenger candidates. Why is this?  Also, what are the issues motivating liberal and conservative grassroots bases the most right now?  MIRS does an energy-check roundtable with Matthew Wilk of the Northville Republicans Club and Rick Blocker of the Oakland County Democratic Party (1:20). 

Legislators on appropriations set aside $250 million last year backing a planned semiconductor factory that has now been scrapped. But how many folks around Lansing actually believed this project would happen?  Also, will lawmakers still be negotiating a new state budget for Michigan in September? MIRS sits down with Reps. Tom Kunse, the Clare Republican, and Lansing Democrat Emily Dievendorf to hear their thoughts (2:50).  MIRS additionally sits down with Rep. Natalie Price, the Berkley Democrat. She's crafting bills to withhold state payments to the federal government if courts rule a White House funding cut to be unconstitutional (31:17). 

Why would school districts someday need to start creating policies for distributing overdose reversal medications to students? How does needing prior authorization from insurers to distribute substance abuse treatment drugs possibly slow down addiction care?  MIRS this week sits down with Dr. Cara Poland, a Grand Rapids addiction medicine physician and head of the state's opioid advisory commission (4:55). 

Will Michiganders sign a petition to ask voters if wealthy residents should be taxed extra to create more school funding? Rachelle Crow-Hercher of the Michigan Education Justice Coalition talks about the "Invest in MI Kids" ballot effort ahead of 2026 (4:53).  Also, MIRS meets Dan Cherrin, the MI Care Council's executive director. How does the way Michigan itself manages Medicaid dollars possibly create delays and complications? Dan explains why his group wants fewer regional entities overseeing behavioral health benefits (21:59).

The month of June for a Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate ends with a game of budget season chicken in the state Capitol. Can the Legislature's pace in creating a K-12 budget impact the Governor's legacy?  Also, how do voters really feel about the U.S. House's new proposed Medicaid eligibility mandates? And does a new road funding plan for Michigan still seem achievable?  On the podcast to discuss these things and more is Lansing-based Andrea Bitely of Bitely Communications and Ann Arbor City Council Member Jen Eyer (5:45). MIRS sits down with Michigan Chamber of Commerce president, Jim Holcomb, as well. Jim says the Chamber will be loud and aggressive in its opposition against proposed new taxes for single filers earning $500,000 or more (30:31). 

Why is the Michigan Chamber of Commerce sounding the alarm on a possible corporate income tax increase  proposed for road funding? Why do state budget negotiations feel especially different this year, and can a cell phone app someday be used to make lobby gifts more transparent?  Talking about such topics and more are two State Representatives, Jaime Greene, the northern Macomb County Republican, and Ann Arbor Democrat Carrie Rheingans (5:57).  Also, MIRS meets attorney Sharon Almonrode, who's been representing residents impacted by the May 2020 Edenville Dam failure. Nearly 800 business owners and individuals in Midland, Saginaw and Gladwin Counties want the state to take accountability for damages they argue the government could have prevented (36:26). 

House Republicans are beginning to roll out their budget proposals for the next fiscal year, but why are some people around Lansing talking about government shutdowns theories? MIRS' Samantha Shriber and Editor Kyle Melinn talk about their questions amid Senate Democrats and House Republicans' big budget-making differences this summer (3:12).  Multiple labor unions are becoming interested in storing CO2 emissions deep underground in Michigan, saying such projects could create jobs. Robert Joerg of the Michigan Laborers District Council talks about why he's supporting state-run carbon capture permitting (16:43).  A small western U.P. town of around 300 people wants a $50 million grant from Lansing to secure future mining and other industry careers. MIRS meets up with Wakefield Township Supervisor Mandy Lake to talk about this quest over 10 years in the making (39:37). 

State Senator Mark Huizenga, the Walker Republican, wants to start a PFAS blood-testing pilot for West Michigan children. Also, he feels like there's been "a bit of fear mongering" in Democrats' messaging on the future of Medicaid (1:02).  Where do Oakland and Macomb Counties split over Lansing's road funding debate? Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter says he's way less optimistic than his Macomb County counterpart (16:41). 

MIRS continues to share interviews from this week's Mackinac Policy Conference hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber.  First, why did U.S. Sen. Gary Peters decide to not seek reelection in the 2026 elections? Also, the Senator explains his thoughts on cryptocurrency, Medicaid's possible future and Michigan's military assets (1:17).  Additionally, MIRS sits down with the U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, the Birmingham Democrat and a 2026 U.S. Senate candidate (11:53).  Also, Airbnb wants Michigan policymakers to know that Airbnb guests in the state spent nearly $1.3 billion on goods and services last year while visiting, based on its new report (24:00).