OFF THE MAT
Whitmer and six other Midwestern governors said they would work together to reopen their state economies, after similar pacts were made in the Northeast and on the West Coast.
Meanwhile, Republicans who control the state Senate unveiled a plan to jump-start Michigan’s economy in five phases. They want Whitmer, a Democrat, to align her strict stay-at-home order with federal guidance to reopen businesses whose employees can stay 6 feet apart.
Republicans said businesses in regions that aren’t virus hot spots should be allowed to reopen more quickly than in other areas. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said Whitmer’s “one-size-fits-all” approach was “perfect” in the first weeks of the crisis.
“But we’ve had time now, and we have 20-20 hindsight of the experiences that we’ve observed, and I believe we’ve got plenty of evidence to support that this can work,” Shirkey said.
BUDGET WOES
Whitmer said the state’s tax revenue could drop by $7 billion over the next 18 months. She urged President Donald Trump to work with Congress to send more aid to states and local governments.
States are being hit with a double-whammy: reduced tax revenue caused by the pandemic’s economic havoc and the additional costs of fighting the virus. Michigan so far is getting $3.8 billion from Washington, including $800 million for Detroit and the four largest counties: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Kent.
BACK ON THE BEAT
Detroit police Chief James Craig emerged Thursday as a survivor of the coronavirus. He was at home for days relying on isolation, prayer, exercise and other remedies.
“I can smile. I’m excited. It’s certainly been a journey. … To overcome this deadly virus I needed to fight back,” Craig told reporters.
He offered a message to the sick at home: “Get up, move around.”
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STOP THE TRUCK
Attorney General Dana Nessel said she’s stepping in to stop the eviction of about 80 people who haven’t paid their rent, including senior citizens, at a Detroit apartment building.
“People cannot be evicted from their homes during this public emergency except under extreme circumstances as outlined in the governor’s executive orders,” Nessel said.
The Associated Press left a voicemail seeking comment from a Farmington Hills law firm that represents management at The Jeffersonian apartments.
An additional 219,000 people filed for unemployment last week, bringing the total number who have lost their jobs to more than 1 million.
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White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writer Corey Williams in West Bloomfield contributed to this report.
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