Whitmer Rules Out 2028 Presidential Run, Cites Break

 

Mackinac Island, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a two-term governor from a key battleground state, said Thursday at the Mackinac Policy Conference that she will not run for president in 2028, speaking on the front porch of the Grand Hotel during an on-the-record interview with Detroit's WJBK-TV. Her comments on...

Municipal budgets approved amid tax and wage adjustments

 

United States local governments approved multiple municipal budgets this week: New Haven's Board of Alders approved a $744.3 million 2026-27 budget in a 28-1 vote raising the property tax rate from 39.4 mills to 39.962 mills; Myrtle Beach moved to reduce a homeowner tax credit as part of a $384...

Newsom Signs Law Limiting Ballot Seizures Ahead of Primary

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 73 on Wednesday to restrict law enforcement and federal access to ballots, voter rolls, and certified voting technology, effective immediately; the law criminalizes unauthorized seizure of cast ballots and requires court orders for access to election materials as voting proceeds this week. The...

US Sanctions Iran Strait Authority Over Maritime Control

 

Washington — The United States on Wednesday added Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority to the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals list, the Office of Foreign Assets Control said, after the authority was launched on May 18 to manage requests for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The listing cites alleged...

Cities Advance Varied Affordable Housing Measures and Debates

 

Nashville officials proposed a $7 million subordinate debt loan program this month, advancing a first phase toward a potential affordable housing bond administered by the Metro Development and Housing Agency; the proposal, presented by O'Connell's office, sits within a $3.8 billion city budget and aims to support developers navigating complex...

Ohio governor pauses data center tax exemption requests

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio. Governor Mike DeWine on Wednesday directed the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause consideration of new data center tax exemption requests while the General Assembly's Joint Data Center Committee studies the sector's growth and local impacts. The authority will stop accepting new proposals after its scheduled meeting on...

U.S. vows oversight as Hormuz control remains contested

 

Washington — President Donald Trump said Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting that no single nation will control the Strait of Hormuz, calling it international waters and stating the United States will "watch over" transit while rejecting Iranian proposals for temporary control. The remarks came amid reports that the strait had...

Paxton Wins GOP Runoff; Talarico Advances for Democrats

 

Austin, Texas. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico emerged as the Democratic nominee and is set to face Republican Ken Paxton after Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP runoff on Tuesday, reshaping the Senate contest in Texas and prompting national attention this week. Campaigns mobilized immediately across the...

United States Republicans struggle with surging inflation pressures

 

WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans are confronting rising political and economic pressure as the 2026 midterm elections approach, with inflation and fuel costs eroding the party’s core promise to tame prices. U.S. year-over-year inflation reached 3.8% in April 2026, the highest level since 2023, driven largely by elevated energy prices tied...

DeSantis Calls Special Session To Eliminate Homestead Taxes

 

Tampa, Fla. Governor Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday he will call a special legislative session starting Monday in Tallahassee to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would raise the homestead exemption to $250,000 and direct lawmakers to develop a schedule to phase out homestead property taxes for Florida...