Michigan scholarship helps students save thousands on tuition costs
The is a state program that increases access and affordability to Michiganders seeking a skill certificate and/or college degree.
The reports that nearly 60,000 students received the Michigan Achievement Scholarship this spring, saving them a total of $252.3 million in tuition.
'In Michigan, we are delivering on our promise to make college and career training more accessible and affordable because every student deserves a fair shot at a great-paying job,' said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a news release sent to 6 News.
Students benefiting from the program this year include:
18,226 students attending a community college at no or low cost.
7,009 students at private colleges saving up to $5,500 a year.
34,371 students at public universities saving up to $5,500 a year.
'The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is making a significant impact not just for students – but for families and communities across the state,' said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP, in a news release sent to 6 News.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Michigan lawmakers react after Senate, House pass Trump's "big beautiful bill"
The U.S. House passed President Trump's massive budget bill on Thursday with a 218-214 vote, two days after the Senate narrowly passed the legislation, 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance giving the tie-breaking vote. Mr. Trump plans to sign the bill at the White House on Friday, July 4. The vote came after a marathon overnight session that saw GOP leaders overcome internal opposition to advance the bill. At the time, the president pushed lawmakers to approve by Friday. Michigan lawmakers react to passage of budget bill White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt "President Trump's One Big, Beautiful Bill delivers on the commonsense agenda that nearly 80 million Americans voted for – the largest middle-class tax cut in history, permanent border security, massive military funding, and restoring fiscal sanity. The pro-growth policies within this historic legislation are going to fuel an economic boom like we've never seen before. President Trump looks forward to signing the One Big, Beautiful Bill into law to officially usher in the Golden Age of America." Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer "Today, Republicans in the United States House passed a reckless bill that threatens the health, security, and economic stability of millions—including hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who stand to lose their Medicaid coverage, and countless working families who rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. "Nearly 15,000 Michiganders sent stories to me about how these cuts will devastate their lives. My office shared their stories with members of our Congressional delegation, including Representatives John James, Tom Barrett, and Bill Huizenga. Today's vote shows those Republicans ignored their constituents, leaving them with higher costs and without the health care they'll need. "I want to thank Michigan's Democratic representatives for standing up for their constituents and voting to protect their health care, food security, and futures. I stand with them and remain committed to doing everything in my power to defend Michiganders. It's time to stop playing politics with people's lives and get to work on real, commonsense solutions that improve people's lives." Congressman Tom Barrett "This morning, I joined my colleagues in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill to prevent the largest tax hike in American history, lower energy costs, and permanently secure our border – all while protecting the integrity of Medicaid and SNAP for those who need them most. This legislation will create thousands of good-paying jobs to boost our economy, ensure the middle class keeps more money in their pockets, and invest in a brighter future for America. "It also delivers on promises made to hardworking families and businesses in Michigan: no tax on tips or overtime, permanent tax relief, an expanded Child Tax Credit, and more. I'm proud to send this pro-growth policy to President Trump's desk and look forward to the real difference it will make in the lives of people across the country." Congresswoman Debbie Dingell "Why would anyone vote for this big bad bill? It is one of the most consequential, devastating, dangerous bills Congress has passed in recent history. It is going to rip health care away from 17 million people, make the biggest cuts to food assistance ever, and ensure the poorest Americans get poorer while the richest get even richer. People will die, children will go hungry, and working Americans will struggle even more to make ends meet, all so Republicans can give another tax break to billionaires. My Republican colleagues have betrayed and abandoned the vulnerable Americans who the government is supposed to serve. This is a complete and total failure. The American people know this is wrong, overwhelmingly disagree with it, and will not forget those who chose to vote for this cruelty." Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin "Today, Donald Trump and the Republican party sent a message to America: if you are not a billionaire, we don't give a damn about you. Health care. Basic food benefits. Dignity in old age. These are the values that Republicans have abandoned to give their billionaire friends another tax handout. This massive scheme to steal from working families, children, and seniors will devastate communities in blue and red states alike. We know the numbers: 17 million Americans will lose health care, over 5 million will lose food assistance, and millions will lose their jobs. But we must also know the stories: Had this bill passed when I was growing up, I would not be here today. "Republicans may see Americans' livelihoods as 'immaterial' — joking 'we are all going to die' and telling petrified Americans to 'get over it' — but that doesn't change the hell they are unleashing on America's families. While the GOP continues to cash their billionaire donors' checks, their constituents will starve, lose critical medical care, lose their jobs — and yes, some will die as a result of this bill. Democrats are mobilizing and will fight back to make sure everybody knows exactly who is responsible for one of the worst bills in our nation's history." Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib "This bill is an act of violence against our communities. At a time of extreme income and wealth inequality, while 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, this budget is absolutely devastating for the working families we represent. Trump's big budget betrayal will kick 17 million Americans off their health care, including over 450,000 people in Michigan, by making the largest cut to Medicaid in history. Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for saying the people losing their health care will just 'get over it' because 'we're all going to die.' They are responsible for the over 50,000 people who will die unnecessarily every year because of this deadly budget. "What's even more disgusting is that all of this is being done to give billionaires and massive corporations trillions of dollars in tax breaks. This bill is the largest transfer of wealth from poor and working people to the billionaire class. It is a gift to Trump's billionaire donors. To pay for it, Republicans are literally taking food out of the mouths of hungry kids by cutting billions of dollars in nutrition assistance. And the same lawmakers who claim that we don't have the money to feed hungry children or make sure people in our communities have the health care they need have no problem voting to send an additional $150 billion to weapons manufacturers and endless war and $170 billion to masked agents terrorizing our communities and illegally disappearing our neighbors for profit. Every member who voted to pass this disastrous budget betrayed the people they represent to serve the rich and powerful and deserves to be voted out of office."
CBS News
30-06-2025
- CBS News
Michigan gas prices decline slightly after last week's high mark
Gas prices declined 3 cents per gallon in Michigan over the past week, AAA-The Auto Club Group reported Monday. Michigan drivers are now paying an average of $3.26 per gallon for regular unleaded, which is 3 cents less than this time last week. This price is 13 cents more than this time last month but still 42 cents less than this time last year. Motorists are paying an average of $48 for a full 15-gallon tank of gasoline; a discount of about $9 from 2024's highest price last July. Roadways are expected to be busy this week with a record high 2.4 million Michiganders forecast to hit the roads for the Independence Day holiday. The most expensive average gas prices in the state were found in Lansing, Saginaw and Ann Arbor. The least expensive average gas prices were in Marquette, Flint and Traverse City.
Indianapolis Star
28-06-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana's 201% cigarette tax hike will fuel smuggling, not just revenue
Indiana's 201% hike in its cigarette excise tax, which takes effect July 1, will reshape consumer behavior, and not necessarily in the way lawmakers expect. While the intent is to boost revenue, the dramatic tax increase from 99.5 cents per pack to nearly $3 will light up at least one major unintended consequence: cigarette smuggling. Some smokers will quit, but many others will engage in tax avoidance and evasion — and possibly other illegal behavior. We are from Indiana and Michigan, respectively, and have long shared a scholarly interest in smuggling. Since 2008, we have published estimates of cigarette smuggling by comparing legal-paid sales in each state to that state's smoking rates. We and other scholars attribute the difference between what is bought legally and what is being smoked to smuggling. We found that, through 2023, Indiana was one of America's top export states for smuggled cigarettes, serving as a source for casual shoppers from neighboring states and large-scale, organized crime alike. We also found that for every 100 cigarettes smoked in Indiana during 2023, an additional 23 were smuggled out, and very likely to higher-taxed neighbors such as Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. Thanks to smuggling, the Indiana treasury generated an extra $61 million in cigarette taxes on sales for out-of-state consumption. This bounty will change when Indiana's own cigarette excise tax rate leaps to nearly $3 per pack. Research shows that yawning tax disparities are a prime driver of cross-border cigarette shopping. On the state's southern border is Kentucky, a tobacco state with an excise tax of just $1.10 per pack. To the east, Ohio's tax is set at $1.60 per pack. The northern border touches Michigan, which charges $2 per pack. Hoosiers are likely to cross all three borders in search of cheaper cigarettes. Indeed, our statistical model indicates that nearly 15% of cigarette consumption—more than 39 million packs—will be smuggled into the state as a result of this tax hike. Briggs: Mike Braun's tuition freeze for Indiana colleges is a marketing gimmick Indiana last raised its cigarette tax in July 2007, from 55 cents to 99.5 cents per pack. For our 2008 study, we obtained the sales data of a large Midwestern cigarette distributor. These data, which let us track activity by ZIP code, allowed us to measure sales from wholesalers to retailers in counties that touched each other along the Indiana-Michigan border. We found that in the three months leading up to and the three months following Indiana's last tax hike, sales to Michigan retailers in border counties rose more than 50% as buyers stocked up on cigarettes in preparation of changes that will give Michiganders less incentive to cross the state line into Indiana to save on their smokes. Now at $3 per pack, it's a near certainty that Indiana consumers will travel to Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan to buy cheaper cigarettes. This type of smuggling is what we call 'casual,' and it typically involves people crossing borders to save money on personal consumption. A far more organized form of illicit trade, 'commercial' smuggling, also thrives on large tax differentials, often involving long-haul shipments by organized crime. Nearby Missouri charges just 17 cents per pack, so it doesn't strain credulity to suggest that smuggling from that state to Indiana may soon commence. Many may hope that the police will be an effective deterrent against such smuggling. It is unlikely. Indiana struggles to keep tobacco and drugs out of its own correctional facilities. In April a man was arrested for attempting to fly tobacco, marijuana and vape pens into the Westville Correctional Facility via drone. In November 2024, a corrections officer was charged with smuggling tobacco, marijuana and methamphetamine to an inmate at the Pendleton Correctional Facility. In March 2024, a federal corrections officer at Terre Haute was busted for delivering cigarettes to an inmate and reportedly received $400 per carton. Opinion: Indiana's 'free market' rental laws are rigged in favor of landlords Public corruption is just one additional, corrosive effect of high cigarette taxes. There are others. Over the years we have catalogued cases of smuggling-related violence against civilians, police, a cash-and-carry retailer, retail store attendants and property. These instances highlight the overwhelming challenge to public safety and law enforcement. Lawmakers in Indiana and elsewhere should recognize the costly ill effects of sin taxes, as well as their purported benefits, such as the additional revenue these taxes typically generate.
