House
Committee Passes Bill to Fix Taxable Value Inequity (known
as WPW)
The House Tax Policy Committee voted unanimously to support
HB 4602 (Rep. Hobbs, D-Southfield), which is a bill to fix
the longstanding inequity regarding commercial and industrial
property valuation based on occupancy. Due to a Supreme Court
decision in 2002, referred to as the "WPW case,"
local governments were only able to reduce taxable value based
on reductions in occupancy, but they could not increase it
back up once the occupancy increased. MORE>
State
Affairs Update
 Community
Revitalization Incentive Legislation Passes Committee –
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. They
must meet certain conditions in order to qualify for the money,
most of which focus on jobs, density, benefits to the community,
etc. MORE>
Transportation
Experts Discuss Michigan’s Transportation Vision
EVIP
Grants Available for Cooperative Efforts
Vendor
Presentation Sessions Offer Indepth Tips on Key Municipal
Issues
Federal Update
 Federal
Highway and FAA Funding Extended –
The Congress and President have agreed to legislation that
provides a "clean" short-term extension of the funding
authorizations for both federal highways and the Federal Aviation
Administration. The FAA extension is through January 2012,
and the highway extension would last until March 1, 2012.
MORE>
President
Unveils $447 Billion Jobs Plan
Federal
Highway Relents On Traffic Sign Regulations
Federal
Grant Opportunities
Rural
Development Solid Waste Grants Available
21st Century Communities
 Twitter
Talk on Transportation Helps Define, Communicate Vision for
Michigan’s Future –
Let’s Save Michigan and the League held its first-ever
Twitter Talk on transportation last week at the Lansing office.
Using new communication tools was a great way not only to
spread the message, but to encourage participants to also
think about the topic itself in new and innovative ways. Much
of the focus was on the need to develop a new dialogue that
looks not only at how much we're spending, but on how and
where we're spending it, at a time when people are re-designing
their relationships to work and community. MORE>
Transit
Twitter Talk Generates Constant Conversation
Plug-In
Vehicle Readiness Training September 29
Economics
of Place
Book Released, Available from League at Amazon
Test
a Neighborhood’s Livability with the “Popsicle
Test” and the “Halloween Test”
Michigan
Main Street Program Seeks Communities
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