The House General Government Committee two weeks ago passed a budget with a 3.1% cut to statutory revenue sharing (1.25% overall blended cut). Yesterday, after hearing testimony from Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewsaki and Andy Schor (League staff), the House Appropriations committee rejected the budget bill with the cuts. Photos of the Legislative Hearing>
Today, after daylong discussions, the House Appropriations Committee added an amendment to the bill to restore statutory revenue sharing to the current year level and to add a 1% increase! They also made the counties whole (wiping out the 3.1% reduction they had received). While this isn’t a huge increase, it is a reflection of the House Appropriations Committee’s desire to prevent further cuts to communities throughout the state. The amendment also tie-barred the entire budget bill to ten tax loophole bills, which would pay for the increase.
Great thanks go out to Rep. Joan Bauer (D-Lansing), Rep. Doug Bennett (D-Muskegon), Rep. Shanelle Jackson (D-Detroit), Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem), and Rep. Vince Gregory (D-Southfield) for holding firm on their opposition to cuts to communities. Thanks also go out to General Government Sub-Committee Chair Fred Durhal (D-Detroit) and Rep. Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) for introducing the amendment to restore and increase funds to revenue sharing.
The vote on the amendment to restore and increase the revenue sharing funds was as follows:
Supporting the amendment: Democratic Reps. Cushingberry, Bauer, Bennett, Brown, Dean, Durhal, Espinoza, Gonzalez, Gregory, Jackson, Lahti, McDowell, Miller, Smith, Switalski, Tlaib.
Passing (Abstaining) on the amendment: Democratic Reps. LeBlanc and Spade; Republican Reps. Caul, Genetski, Haines.
Opposing the amendment: Democratic Rep. Hammel; Republican Reps. Moss, Agema, Booher, Green, Hildenbrand, Lori, Proos, Rogers, Schuitmaker.
The final bill passed on a 19-8-4 vote, with 19 Democrats supporting, 4 Republicans passing (abstaining) and 8 Republicans opposing.
Andy Schor is the Assistant Director of State Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. Contact him at (517) 908-0300 or by email.
