Iin passing its version of 2013 spending for a number of departments and programs (H.R. 5326), the House has voted to maintain current 2012 spending levels for the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) program.

The bill also includes increased funding for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants and Second Chance grants. 

While a major victory since the bill when it came to the floor included significant cuts, the bill has a long way to go as no one expects spending bills for 2013 to be completed until after the election. Still, this sends a strong signal that there is continued support for these community based programs.

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.

The White House has announced a number of actions federal agencies have taken to reduce regulatory burdens and eliminate unnecessary costs for local governments. 

As a example, federal traffic sign regulations have become more than just a nuisance for locals, but a financial burden as well. A new rule eliminates 46 regulations on traffic signs, providing more flexibility to state and local governments. For instance, communities will now be allowed to replace street signs after they wear out rather than by some imposed deadline from the federal government.

The elimination and or curtailing of such regulations is expected to result in $6 billion of savings in five years.

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.

The conference committee charged with crafting a new federal transportation authorization act met for the first time last week. And although the first meeting was more about ceremonial introductory statements by members of the committee, a willingness to negotiate was noted by all.

Behind the scenes, staff is working on ironing out differences on the least controversial parts of the bill. Issues such as construction of the Keystone pipeline will no doubt be more difficult to resolve. Another complicating factor is time.  There are few session days left in which to negotiate and pass such a bill through both the House and the Senate.

The committee is chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer. That said, Michigan is represented on the conference committee as both Congressmen Dave Camp and Fred Upton have been named as conferees. Congressman Camp chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and Congressman Upton the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

This means that local officials have a unique opportunity to contact both Congressmen Camp and Upton about the need for a long term solution that will help to bring certainity to decisions being made at the local level on transportation and infrastructure projects. Urge them to:

·        Support a bipartisan agreement on a long-term transportation bill that supports local government authority and funding for public transit;

·     Support current law to maintain the current threshold of 50,000 in population for remaining a Metropolitan Planning Organization and the current share of funding for metropolitan areas at 62.5 percent rather than the 50 percent that is in the Senate bill;

·     Adopt a provision in the Senate bill that would provide a 15 percent share of funding for local bridges from the overall funding for states; and

·     Support “additional activities” in the Senate bill that would help revitalize Main Streets, make streets safer for walkers and bicyclists, and allow local governments direct access for communities to these funds.

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail

House Budget Committee Chairman, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), has introduced a plan to stop mandatory across the board spending cuts required by last summer's debt deal. The plan is actually meant to prevent any cuts to defense spending but targets cuts to other areas of the federal budget.

Ryan's Sequester Replacement Act, H.R. 4966, would eliminate language in last year's Budget Control Act that requires the cuts to 2013 spending, known as the “sequester.”

Another piece of legislation, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act, is a bill that outlines the various cuts and savings to mandatory programs that will make up for ending the sequester. Cuts in this bill come from recommendations made by six House committees: Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Judiciary, Oversight and Government Reform and Ways and Means.

The League will be working with the NLC and other national local government advocacy groups to watch how these developments play out.  The League board has adopted a resolution calling for a balanced approach to reducing the federal deficit.  Members are urged to contact their congressional representative to do the same.

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.