The Senate Economic Development Committee this week unanimously passed the legislation creating the new Community Revitalization Program (SB 566-568).  This legislation, which is supposed to be a replacement state incentive program for the Brownfield and Historic credits, will provide dollars for gap financing to developers doing revitalization work in communities. The must meet certain conditions in order to qualify for the money, most of which focus on jobs, density, benefits to the community, etc.  The League indicated support for the legislation.  I was going to testify, but was asked to simply put in a card due to the testimony in the committee following the bills on the NITC (the new bridge crossing to Canada).  The League plans to testify in House committee.  While we have some concerns (smaller communities not getting the same support, administrative fees build into the bills, potential to get around conditions, division of limited pool of dollars), we believe that there are good checks and balances built into the system and that any potential problems can be addressed in a re-review of the legislation or the appropriations process.  We are willing to support this program as a great new community revitalization tool and incentive, and hope and believe that this will result in more revitalization in League communities!

Andy Schor is the Assistant Director of State Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. Contact him at (517) 908-0300 or by email at aschor@mml.org.

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