Most Michiganians would be appalled to learn that wildlife killing contests not only occur in the state but are perfectly legal. These events pit participants against innocent animals, usually coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and raccoons, with prizes awarded for the most or largest kills. This barbaric practice is not only cruel, but also counterproductive to sound wildlife management.

Science has unequivocally proven that randomly killing predators like coyotes does not effectively control their populations nor does it increase the number of prey species, such as deer. In fact, indiscriminate killing can exacerbate problems by disrupting pack structures and leading to increased conflicts with humans. Hunting has a storied history in Michigan but make no mistake about it: wildlife killing contests serve no purpose other than to kill as many animals as possible and are contrary to all hunting ethics. The dead animals aren’t used for meat nor is their fur harvested; instead, their bodies are left to rot.

Wildlife killing contests have been documented in Michigan since at least 2003, and disturbingly, events are already being planned for 2025. Resolutions in opposition to wildlife killing contests were adopted by both the Kalamazoo and Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners in 2021, and now it’s time for the state of Michigan to enact a comprehensive ban.

It’s time to end the senseless slaughter of wildlife for fun and games in Michigan and embrace a more humane approach to coexisting with our wild neighbors.

Thad Dickinson,
Berkley

Since the beginning of this month, a number of people have been facing an important financial decision. They need to decide whether they should renew or seek an alternative. What do I mean by that? Well, in case you haven’t heard, the Federal Reserve is lowering interest rates.

That’s good news for borrowers on such big-ticket items as mortgages and car loans. But lower rates are not good news for savers with money in the bank. It’s quite likely that the interest you earn on bank and credit union deposits will also be lowered.

If you’re the owner of a bank certificate of deposit (CD), you’re fortunate in that you locked in a rate at the time of your deposit. A rate that’s guaranteed for a specified length of time, one year, five years, whatever.

But on your anniversary date, you should anticipate that the rate that’s offered will be lower than the one you locked in. Typically, the banking institution sends a letter informing you of the lower renewal rate. And, oh by the way, you have ten days to decide. Although the institution might decide for you. If you don’t respond within ten days, you’re automatically renewed.

I suspect many people will just accept the rate that’s offered and not take the time to talk to their banker or financial advisor. But you should.

With your money in the bank, the principal doesn’t fluctuate. Stocks, bonds and mutual funds, however, have been known to be volatile. Plus, bank deposits earn interest and the FDIC and NCUAA protect both bank and credit union deposits up to certain limits.

The point is that money in the bank is pretty darn safe. The risk with a bank deposit is loss of purchasing power due to inflation. For example, if inflation is at 5 percent and your bank deposit is earning only 3 percent your money may be intact, but it’s losing purchasing power.

No matter what the interest rate, you should maintain money in the bank as an emergency fund. If you already have an adequate cash reserve and a long-term time horizon, however, you don’t need to accept a lower rate. Rather, I suggest that you do some homework and some legwork.

Consider exploring some alternative investments. Yes, there is market risk and the possible loss of principal. And no, that won’t happen with bank deposits. But other investments offer the possibility of much greater appreciation.

An advisor can help you determine where you are relative to your financial goals, objectives and risk tolerance. In the simplest terms, if you move money from a bank into an investment, you’re altering your risk profile. It may or not be an appropriate move, but you should know and understand the amount of market risk you’re shouldering.

Our Federal Reserve has the dual mandate of keeping prices stable and employment at a maximum. Fortunately, inflation has been trending lower. But politicians have recently been promising policies and programs that would likely drive it back up.

Renewing a CD at a lower rate doesn’t sound like a big deal, but over time it can be. The goal is to find the right balance between the money you need now and the money you’re going to need down the road.

Email your questions to kenmorris@lifetimeplanning.com

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Society for Lifetime Planning is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. https://kestrafinancial.com/disclosures

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results.

Labor Day weekend serves as a reminder that summer is over and it’s time to prepare for cooler weather. You can see it happening all around. Boaters are hauling their boats out of the water and preparing them for storage. Runners, cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts are wearing extra layers of clothing. And some golfers are even putting their clubs away.

Labor Day is sort of like a starters pistol at a track meet. It encourages us to get going! Over the years, I’ve participated in the Labor Day walk across the Mackinac Bridge. And I’ve talked to many walkers who were taking on the challenge after some sort of health issue, such as a stroke or physical injury. I commend such people who set goals, especially after a health setback.

Since there is not an official holiday to do so, I suggest that now is a good time to assess your financial goals. There are far too many procrastinators that don’t even think about retirement until they’re close to the finish line.

If that’s you, if you’re in your fifties or sixties without a well-planned road to retirement, it’s time to get going. It doesn’t matter what your occupation is, or whether you’re salaried or punch a clock. You need to have clear-cut financial goals and the knowhow to achieve them throughout your retirement years.

Start by looking at what your income was 15 years ago. For example, if you’re currently 65, what was your income when you were 50? You can find these numbers on your old tax returns or a current Social Security income projection. Got the number? Now ask yourself if you could support your current lifestyle on what you were making 15 years ago.

That’s essentially a snapshot of retirement. Except for modest increases from Social Security, most retirees are on a fixed income. So your income 15 years from now will be pretty much the same as it is today. The cost of living, however, will be higher. That’s why it’s so important to have an adequate nest egg that can generate consistent income throughout the retirement years.

How long will that be? Statistically, if you retire in your sixties, you can expect to live another twenty years. Over that period there’s a probability that you will experience at least one severe economic downturn. Possibly even two.

Are your finances prepared for a financial storm? Imagine walking across the Mackinac Bridge with high winds, driving rain and swirling water below. It can be frightening. There are numerous investments that provide protection in the event of certain downturns. But you can never be sure what roadblock might suddenly appear. And there is no one thing that can shield your finances from everything.

You may or not experience one or two financial setbacks over the twenty or so years of your retirement. But the statistics say you will. It’s really important to be mentally and financially prepared.

I think it’s great that there’s a holiday that honors the labor force. Hard working Americans certainly deserve some recognition. So be proud and get out and enjoy your day. And please don’t lose sight of your goals. Don’t use rosy projections for planning your future. The better you’re prepared, the smoother the road will be.

Email your questions to kenmorris@lifetimeplanning.com

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Society for Lifetime Planning is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. https://kestrafinancial.com/disclosures

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results.

71 days to the election! And I’ve never been so fired up about a Presidential and VPs the likes of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

I had the opportunity (Aug. 7) to attend the Harris/Walz rally along with 18,000 other individuals in an airhanger overlooking Detroit Metro Airport’s McNamara Terminal. The sun was beating down but the slight breeze ushered in winds of change. This rally was the cherry on top of 2 weeks of advocacy – coming home from long days at work in the automotive industry only to join 2-3 hour Zoom calls with my husband after the kids went to bed – including White Women for Harris, Veteran Families for Harris, and White Dudes for Harris – which collectively raked in over $4 Million dollars into the estimated over $300 Million they’ve brought into the campaign since Joe Biden announced he was stepping aside to let Kamala Harris shine.

We stood shoulder to shoulder for hours and listened to almost every significant Democratic leader from the State of Michigan speak at the rally, including Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, House of Representatives Hillary Scholten, Debbie Dingle, Elissa Slotkin, Shri Thanedar, and Haley Stevens, Senator Debbie Stabenow, and Governor (Big) Gretchen Whitmer. Their messages were peppered with inspirational one liners, humor, some cuss words (Gretch), but overall message of unity. They highlighted their misalignment with the opposition with facts on policy and change instead of hate and derision – even when small groups tried to gain momentum with chants of “Lock Him Up” they quickly waned in favor of “VOTE!”

Most of us stood there for hours, tirelessly shifting in our place amongst fellow like minded thinkers waiting for a glimpse of history in the making. Then Tim Walz took the stage to much fanfare as America’s Dad. A man who’s evolution from farmer to Governor is what the American Dream is made of. As a former Republican myself, he is the moderate we’ve been searching for – military background and pro-Gun (with smart gun laws) – he used his state’s surplus of tax revenue to invest in education and free breakfast and lunches for all school age children. He’s a candidate whose policies we could (and should) all get behind. He’s an example of not only how we can do better but we can be better. And he’s pivoted the narrative of the traditional Democratic ticket.

We all sat eagerly holding onto every word of their message. At the end of the day I came home with layers of sweat, a bad back, sore feet but a full heart and a feeling of optimism for America’s future. I’ll tell my kids about this experience as it was one for the books as we continue to fight for our democracy, for our voice, for our votes. As we came back into the bright sunshine of the tarmac at the end of the rally, we were bid farewell by the sun setting behind Air Force Two, a physical symbol of democracy.

Theresa Osbourn, Rochester Hills

By Jarrett Skorup

Guest Columnist

Anne Davis knows a simple way to help Michigan grow: Make it easier for people like her to continue working when they move from another state. As Anne can attest, Michigan makes this process far harder than it should be.

Anne is a licensed therapist. She grew up here and attended Central Michigan University before moving to Colorado, where she obtained her license. She’s spent more than 20 years serving the mental health needs of vulnerable people, from broken families to the homeless. When she moved back to mid-Michigan in 2021, she looked forward to helping even more people, from all walks of life.

But it turns out she couldn’t—at least, not without jumping through pointless yet costly bureaucratic hoops.

Michigan didn’t immediately recognize her Colorado license, effectively assuming that she wasn’t qualified to be a therapist, even though she’d already taken years of education, paid significant fees, and maintained all her professional requirements. Anne couldn’t work for months, preventing her from earning an income doing the job she loves—a job she had done with distinction for two decades.

Michigan already has a shortage of mental-health professionals—not only in hospitals, but also in schools. If Anne had been able to work right away, she could have treated people who desperately need professional help.

Thankfully, Anne persevered. Thirteen months after she initially applied for the license in Michigan, she was finally approved.

But Anne and other professionals who move to Michigan should not have to endure this injustice. If she’d known about the hurdles she had to clear, she may not have moved back in the first place. After all, why would you come to Michigan if you can’t work, pay your bills, or move forward with your life?

Anne’s experience is far from unique. Countless others run into the same barriers because Michigan doesn’t automatically reciprocate or recognize many licenses from other states.

We are talking about dozens of professions, not just therapists and counselors. All told, about one in five Michigan jobs require a license. These jobs range from preschool teachers to veterinary technicians, HVAC contractors to massage therapists, school bus drivers to commercial fishermen. If you already have a license and move to Michigan, you have to hope the state easily reciprocates or, like Anne, you’ll be out of work while having to re-take classes or navigate the bureaucracy.

That isn’t exactly cheap. Michigan licenses often cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Many require months or years of education and experience—even a license to wash hair requires hundreds of hours of training—which can mean years of not earning an income. It’s an obvious barrier to moving to Michigan.

Everyone would win if Michigan recognized licenses from other states. People who move here could work right away, contributing to our state’s growth and success. The families and customers they serve would benefit from more options, especially in fields like education, health care, and the skilled trades, where worker shortages are common. And businesses would find it easier to hire and expand, building a better economy that benefits all.

Other states have recognized that recognizing licenses is a win-win. To date, 20 states have passed “licensing reciprocity” bills. That includes our neighbors in Ohio, who enacted this commonsense policy at the start of last year. A Michigan worker who moves to Ohio does not face a barrier to working and building a better life. But an Ohio worker who moves to Michigan stands a good chance of having to sit on the sidelines, for no good reason.

That’s right: Other states are giving Michiganders a reason to leave, but Michigan isn’t giving Americans a reason to come. Arizona goes the furthest of any state, recognizing any license or a person’s work experience, automatically making new arrivals eligible to begin working immediately. This isn’t that controversial. Michigan does the same thing, but right now that is limited to military members, veterans, or their family members. We should do it for everyone.

In December, the Growing Michigan Together Council recommended that Michigan’s leaders enact licensing reciprocity. Yet over halfway into 2024, the legislature has yet to act, even though similar bills have been introduced in years past. In other states, this is a bipartisan issue, and Michigan lawmakers on both sides of the aisle should champion this reform.

They should remember Anne Davis’s story. We’re lucky she chose to move here, even though it cost her a year of lost time and income. Imagine if we made it possible for people to move to the state without losing anything— so they can start helping Michigan win from their first day here.

Jarrett Skorup is the vice president for marketing and communications at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a free-market research and educational institute.