Michigan is sitting on more than $2 billion in unclaimed property, waiting for owners to claim it. Less than half gets reunited with its owners.
Simon D. Schuster
Simon D. Schuster is a Capitol Reporter for Bridge Michigan. Simon joined Bridge Michigan in 2024 after working as MLive's senior political reporter and later covering politics on their investigative team. He spent three years tracking the influence of political money in Michigan as executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, a nonpartisan nonprofit. A Michigan native, Simon received a bachelor's and a master of public policy from Michigan State University, where he was a policy fellow at the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. Outside of work you'll find him in Detroit, backpacking northern Michigan or visiting his fiancée in Scandinavia. He lives in Lansing.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan faces a huge election year. These are the 2026 races to watch
Michigan voters will decide a new governor, a new US Senator and much, much more in 2026. These are the top races to watch.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan ranked choice voting group ends 2026 ballot effort
Rank MI Vote, which seeks to bring ranked choice voting to Michigan, is ending a bid to put a proposal on the state’s 2026 ballot. Organizers say they may try again for 2028.
Posted inMichigan Government
Former Chatfield aides get probation in exchange for testimony
Anné and Rob Minard will avoid jail time and will work with the attorney general in their prosecution of former House Speaker Lee Chatfield. ‘I suppose there are some that may say that seems like quite a deal given the scope of the crimes that were committed here,’ the judge said.
Posted inMichigan Government
RxKids ‘in limbo,’ Flint reeling over surprise cuts by House Republicans
Plans to expand a cash assistance program for new and expecting mothers are now ‘in limbo’ after Michigan House Republicans unexpectedly canceled previously approved spending, according to Dr. Mona Hanna.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan House cancels $645M in state spending without Senate OK
Through an arcane section of state law, the Republican-controlled state House scrapped hundreds of millions in ongoing spending on state projects. Democrats called the process ‘corrupt.’
Posted inMichigan Government
Bills spurred by Michigan hospital killing would allow free PPO service
Victims of domestic violence or stalking wouldn’t have to pay police to serve the perpetrator with a personal protection order under the state Senate-passed legislation.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan quickly deletes government chats, raising transparency questions
Requests for communications between state officials filed by Bridge Michigan have been repeatedly denied because the records, if they existed, have been deleted.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan’s new pot tax still a go after judge denies injunction to block it
Michigan’s new 24% wholesale tax on marijuana is the centerpiece of a new road funding plan lawmakers crafted earlier this year. Industry representatives are suing to stop it.
Posted inMichigan Government
Republicans push to bar foreign donors to Michigan ballot committees
Legislation in the Michigan House would ban foreign sources of dark money in state ballot drives — but wouldn’t give state authorities a way to check the law is being followed.