LANSING, Michigan - In response to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's call for reform ideas, the Michigan Municipal League hosted a media roundtable Wednesday, Jan, 26, in our Lansing office about our reform plan.
Media from nine different outlets attended the event, including reporters from the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, MGTV, TV 6 & 10 out of Lansing; Gongwer and MIRS news services, the Associated Press. Michigan Government Television taped the entire session and it will air multiple times in the upcoming days on the network.
The extensive media coverage of this event shows the strong reputation the League has in the state for being on the cutting edge of ideas in moving the state forward.
On Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, Governor Snyder, Michigan House Leader Jase Bolger, and the governor's chief strategist, Bill Rustem, met with the League's Board of Trustees to discuss the state budget crisis and ideas on turning Michigan around. Snyder encouraged the League to give him reform ideas and the League did just that during the news event Wednesday, said League CEO Dan Gilmartin.
"Our proposed reforms will save money or they will avoid costs by making operations more efficient," Gilmartin said. "They also will give local governments and their citizens more power to help themselves, a reform that is essential today because the Legislature has broken its promise made decades ago to return locally collected tax revenues to support public safety, infrastructure and other essential services."
The reforms will help to create urban places in Michigan that will be attractive to young, college educated, talented, creative and entrepreneurial people.
During the news conference Wednesday, League officials presented seven different reform items we believe will save Michigan municipalities money and make them more efficient. The reforms included changes to Public Act 312, dealing with emergency service arbitration, giving local governments the authority to raise tax revenues and save money, and giving local governments the option to publish legal notices online. Speaking along with Gilmartin were Summer Minnick, MML's Director of State Affairs; and Robin Beltramini, Troy city council member, and past president of the League board.
Go here to read our press release from this event. View photos from Wednesday's press event here. View photos from Friday's visit by governor Snyder here. View photos of State House Leader Jase Bolger's visit to the League here.
Matt Bach is director of communications for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at (734) 669-6317 and mbach@mml.org.
Summer Minnick, Dan Gilmartin and Robin Beltramini talk with the media Wednesday.
