Proposal A tax reform. On March 15, voters approved Proposal A by 65% to 35%. The proposal shifted funding for schools from property taxes to sales taxes. The proposal raised the state's sales tax from 4% to 6% and increased the tax on cigarettes by 50 cents.
Jack Kevorkian and assisted suicide. On May 2, a jury acquitted Jack Kevorkian in connection with the death of Thomas Hyde who suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease. The trial was the first test of Michigan's assisted suicide law, adopted by the Legislature to stop Kevorkian from continuing his efforts to assist terminally ill patients to end their lives. After the verdict, Kevorkian told reporters: "I'm prosecutable. I'm just not convictable."[3] Days later, on May 10, a Michigan appellate court issued separate rulings that (i) persons assisting suicide could be prosecuted for murder, and (ii) Michigan's assisted suicide law was technically invalid but that a revised ban would be constitutional.[4]
Growth in the Michigan economy.
Charter schools. A judge ruled charter schools unconstitutional, and the Legislature then acted to authorize and fund them.
Booming auto sales.
Deep winter freeze. Severe cold weather struck the state in January.[citation needed]
Detroit prison break. On August 21, 10 prisoners escaped from the Ryan Regional Correctional Facility in Detroit.[5] Nine of the escapees were captured. The tenth was found dead.[6]
Day-care/child custody decision. On July 8, a 69-year-old Macomb County judge ordered that custody of three-year-old Maranda Ireland-Smith be removed from her 19-year-old mother and instead be awarded to the father. The judge found that the mother's use of commercial day care while attending classes at the University of Michigan was not in the child's best interest, whereas the father's mother was willing to care for the child full time. The decision drew national attention and criticism from working parents.[7][8][9]The New York Times wrote that the order was "an affront and threat to the millions of women for whom day care is the difference between ignorance and an education, poverty and a decent income, dependency and self-reliance."[10] The decision was reversed on appeal in 1995.[11]
Deckerville child abuse trial. Stephen Rogers of Deckerville and his live-in girlfriend, Trudy O'Connor, were convicted of first-degree child abuse after Rogers' nine-year-old daughter was found by police in February 1994 chained to urine-soaked bed in dark closet. Rogers was sentenced to 10–15 years in prison, and O'Connor was sentenced to a six-to-15 year term.[12][13]
In separate balloting by Michigan Associated Press newspapers and broadcast stations, the state's top sports stories were selected as follows:[14]
Nancy Kerrigan assault. On January 6, an assailant hired by the ex-husband of Tonya Harding struck Nancy Kerrigan's right knee with a club as she walked through a corridor at Detroit's Cobo Arena following a practice session at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Kerrigan was treated for her injuries at Hutzel Hospital.[15]
Firing of George Perles. On November 8, after the 1994 Michigan State Spartans football team began the season with nine losses and no wins, George Perles was fired as the team's head coach. He had been head coach for 12 years and was the second winningest coach in program history.[16]Nick Saban was hired as his replacement on December 3.
Baseball strike. On September 14, the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike began. The strike resulted in the cancellation of the final weeks of the season as well as the World Series.[17]
Scott Mitchell signed. After losing Erik Kramer to free agency, the Detroit Lions on March 7 signed free agent quarterback Scott Mitchell to an $11 million contract, including a $5 million signing bonus.
In the 1990 United States census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 9,295,29 persons, ranking as the eighth most populous state in the country. By 2000, the state's population had grown by 6.9% to 9,938,444 persons.
Cities
The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 50,000 based on 1990 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1980 and 2000 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.
The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 150,000 based on 1990 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1980 and 2000 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Counties that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.
1994 Michigan State Spartans football team – Under head coach George Perles, the Spartans compiled a 5–6 record. The team's statistical leaders included Tony Banks with 2,040 passing yards, Duane Goulbourne with 930 rushing yards, Scott Greene with 452 receiving yards, and Chris Gardner with 72 points scored.[21]
1993–94 Detroit Red Wings season – Under head coach Scotty Bowman, the Red Wings compiled a 46–30–8 record, finished first in the NHL Norris Division, and lost in the Conference Quarter-Finals to the San Jose Sharks. Sergei Fedorov led the team with 56 goals, 64 assists, and 120 points. The team's goaltenders included Chris Osgood (41 games) and Tim Cheveldae (30 games).[23]
Other
Music and culture
March 15 - Madonna's single I'll Remember was released. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart.
October 25 - Madonna's album Bedtime Stories was released. It reached No. 3 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. With 2,531,000 units sold in the US (8 million worldwide), the album was certified as triple platinum.
December 6 - Madonna's single Take a Bow was released. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the US Adult Contemporary chart.
Chronology of events
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
December 2 - The U.S. Department of Transportation agreed with General Motors to drop its investigation into GM pickup trucks in exchange for $51.4 million in funding for federal automobile safety programs.[24]
December 3 - Michigan State announced the hiring of Nick Saban as its new head football coach.
December 10 - Albion College won the NCAA Division III national football championship, defeating Washington & Jefferson in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.[25]
December 11 - CBS changed its affiliate in Detroit from Channel 2 (WJBK) to Channel 62 (WGPR), causing confusion among viewers unable to find CBS programming. Channel 2 became a Fox affiliate.[26][27]
December 12 - Kmart Corporation announced the layoff of 900 employees at its corporate headquarters in Troy, Michigan. The terminated workers were escorted from the building by security personnel.[28]
December 13 - The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the state's ban on suicide was constitutional, opening the way for possible prosecution of Jack Kevorkian in connection with 21 suicides he had attended since the law was enacted in June 1990.[29]
December 16 - Rick Rizzs and Frank Rathbun were not renewed as WJR's broadcast team for Detroit Tigers games. Frank Beckmann was announced as the new play-by-play announcer.[30]
December 20 - The federal government announced that Detroit had been selected as one of six sites for a $100-million empowerment zone.[31][32]
December 27 - Perry Drug Stores Inc., Michigan's largest drug store chain with its headquarters in Waterford Township, agreed to be acquired by Rite Aid Corp. for $132 million.[33]
December 31 - In a ceremony at the Governor's residence, John Engler was sworn in for his second term as governor.[34]
November 28 - Dominic Jacobetti, longest serving Michigan state legislator, served in state house from 1955 to 1994, died in office at age 74 in Negaunee, Michigan
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