A View from the Capitol

A View from the Capitol

State Rep. Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township, shares his thoughts from Lansing.

From My Desk in Lansing It doesn't seem long ago when I first walked into the capitol in January 2011 to take the official oath of office for state representative of the 24th House District. The past 24 months have been filled with our efforts at the state to help Michigan reinvent itself. Remember, we were 50th in the country in most categories. Unemployment was around 15 percent. And the general moral of our friends and neighbors was that Michigan's best days were behind them. I, along with my new colleagues, were determined to change the mood around Lansing and step away from the previous administration's policies that were simply kicking the can down the road. These were not quick or simple changes.  Whether it was tax reform, …

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Macomb Officials, Radio Personality and Rocker Speak About Memorial Day

VFW Commander, Macomb County elected officials, WJR Radio personality Frank Beckmann and rocker Eddie Money share their thoughts about the importance of Memorial Day.

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A View from the Capitol

A View from the Capitol

State Rep. Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township, shares his thoughts from Lansing.

From My Desk in Lansing Spring is officially here and that means our beloved Detroit Tigers are back on the field for another season of America’s favorite pastime. Now if the weather would just start acting agreeable … we will all be able to enjoy the outdoors. The early part of April was a busy time in the district. Beyond the usual things, I was asked to speak to a Macomb County business group with my colleague from Fraser about our bipartisan efforts and the work to make Macomb County issues a top priority.  There were also three senior events in St. Clair Shores and Harrison Township. Sue Ficau, the SCS Senior Center coordinator, hosts monthly birthday breakfasts on the first Wednesday of the month, usually a day and time when I cannot…

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Report: Leaders to Fight for Selfridge

Local, state and federal officials including County Executive Mark Hackel, State Rep. Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township, and U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-MI, are speaking out against proposed cuts to Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

State Leaders Discuss Lake St. Clair Muck

Representatives from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality share their findings from the study.

Representatives from the state told an audience Monday at the St. Clair Shores Public Library the muck building up along the Lake St. Clair shoreline is caused by algae and is being found throughout the Great Lakes region. The findings were issued in a report by the Department of Environmental Quality, which studied the buildup after residents north of Veterans Memorial Beach contacted city officials and State Rep. Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township, about the growth of the organic matter from their seawalls. DEQ personnel visited the waterfront twice to study the muck, which extends nearly 15 feet into the lake in some areas and contained trash along with dead fish, and inspected other areas along Lake St. Clair where algae was …

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Agricultural Director Visits the Shores

The Michigan Director of Agriculture visits the Shores and promotes buying locally grown and produced agricultural products.

This is another installment of “Dispatches: The Changing American Dream.” Dispatches is an ongoing series that explores tales of challenge and opportunity in our communities so we can better understand how our neighbors are working toward their own American Dream.

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Elected Leaders Meet in the Shores for Chamber Event

Federal, state and local officials meet to discuss issues affecting Macomb County.

Elected officials gathered Tuesday at Barrister Gardens Banquet Center to share and discuss issues which they are dealing with at all levels of government. Reinventing Macomb, organized by the Macomb County Chamber, brought together members of Congress and the state legislature along with city and township officials. The event covered a wide range of issues from the defense corridor in Macomb County to the residents and businesses continuing to have difficult time obtaining loans. "I think it is very important for elected officials to hear from each other but also for the community to hear from them," said Grace Shore, CEO of the Macomb County Chamber. This event is one of the newer programs offered by the Macomb County Chamber, which has …

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News Brief: Forlini Calls for Increased Oversight of Michigan Works

State Rep. Anthony Forlini calls for end of "lavish" spending by Michigan Works employees.

State Rep. Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township, called for increased oversight of the Michigan Works Agencies after an audit found the state spent thousands of dollars on perks. Forlini sent a letter outlining some of the abuses to the Bureau of Workforce Transformation and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, citing a recent audit from the Office of the Auditor General. The Auditor General is charged with reviewing state departments and programs for efficiency and compliance. The audit found the employment agency spent money on: "Even though Michigan's economy is rebounding, taxpayers do not expect to pay for benefits like monthly massages for state employees," Forlini said in a release. "Our goal must always be efficient and …

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