Hard
Cap, 80/20 Heads to Governor's Desk 
Legislation
that requires public employers to either put a hard cap on
health care costs or have an 80/20 cost sharing arrangement
(with an opt-out for locals) is headed to the governor's desk.
SB
7 was approved by both the House and Senate last week
after months of negotiations. The bill has a preference for
a hard cap, so all public employers are capped in what they
can pay for an employee's health care costs. The cap is $5,500
for a single person, $11,000 for a couple and $15,000 for
a family. A public employer may, with 2/3 vote of its governing
body, instead opt into an 80/20 cost sharing arrangement.
The Legislature also put together a frequently asked questions
document
which can be viewed here. MORE>
State
Affairs Update
 Renaissance
Zones Now to Pay Income Tax – If you
have any Renaissance Zones in your community, you need to
know that as of January 1, 2012, residents and businesses
in renaissance zones will be responsible to pay the 4.35%
income tax. It has recently come to light that the legislation
to eliminate the Michigan Business Tax and instead tax businesses
as part of the Corporate Income Tax also eliminated the exemptions
for renaissance zones that were in the income tax. As such,
any taxpayer (business or resident) in a renaissance zone
will have to pay the 4.35% state income tax as of January
1, 2012. MORE>
Minimum
Staffing Bills Head to Governor
Local
Officials Offer Mixed Views on Employee Unions
Community
Revitalization/Business Development Programs Approved
EVIP
Grants Available for Cooperative Efforts
Michigan
Association of Mayors Summer Workshop Held In Port Huron
Vendor
Presentation Sessions Offer Indepth Tips on Key Municipal
Issues
Federal Update
FREE
TIGER Grants and Rural Projects Webinar –
On Wednesday, August 31, the second
of two webinars on applying for TIGER grants will be held
for free. The webinar will be held beginning at 2:00 pm. While
the webinar is aimed at providing information and technical
assistance related to rural communities, the first
webinar in the series has information that is of use to
communities of all sizes. MORE>
Michigan
Receives Funding for Transportation Projects
Federal Transportation Authorization Action Expected
Firefighter Assistance Grants Available
Congress
on Recess, Time to Tell Your Story!
Federal Gas Tax Set to Expire
Federal Grant Opportunities
Rural
Development Solid Waste Grants Available
21st Century Communities
 Host
a 2011 Labor Day Community Walk – Occurring
in conjunction with the Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Walk, the
Michigan Fitness Foundation hopes to link not only the upper
and lower peninsulas, but the entire state by encouraging
community walks as a symbol of statewide unity. Hosting a
walk is a great opportunity for communities to showcase their
unique area and promote healthy living. Organizers who register
their event with the Michigan Fitness Foundation are able
to have their walk endorsed by the Governor’s Council
on Physical Fitness, Sports & Health. MORE>
Survey
Results on “Placemaking” and the Housing Industry
Test
a Neighborhood’s Livability with the “Popsicle
Test” and the “Halloween Test”
Consumers
Energy Hosting Info Session on Expanded Solar Program
Michigan
Main Street Program Seeks Communities
Green
Communities, Complete Streets Training/Funding Opp.Available
Economic
Gardening Workshops |
