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Advocacy

Advocacy

Legislative Link May 12, 2008

State Affairs Report

Revenue Estimating Conference Set for Friday – Friday, May 16, at 9 a.m., the House and Senate Fiscal agencies along with the Department of Treasury will hear presentations on the state's fiscal condition and determine the estimated revenues based on collections data and trends/expectations. These figures will drive the budget bills currently being debated. Early reports suggest revenues may not be as high as they were expected to be at the last conference in January, which will result in increasing pressures on budget items. Contact: Summer Minnick

TIF Reimbursement Bills Expected to Move this Week – HBs 5539-42, which create the mechanism for locals to be reimbursed for lost TIF revenues due to the personal property tax exemptions in the Michigan Business Tax, are expected to move this week. Hopefully the bills will be signed very soon as locals need to submit data to the Department of Treasury by June 1. Villages have raised the issue of how townships will remit the payments to their authorities. The bills clearly state the local tax collector SHALL distribute the funds to the authorities once the application is approved by Treasury, so it may be helpful to copy the township treasurer on your application materials as an early communication/notification. Contact: Summer Minnick

Bill to Fix "WPW" Commercial Property Tax Loophole Has Hearing (kind of) – Last week HB 5286 (Condino, D-Southfield) was scheduled for a hearing before the House Tax Policy Committee. The bill would solve the commercial and industrial property tax loophole regarding using occupancy to adjust property taxes. At the hearing, after a substitute bill was handed out, the committee chair announced that there were still some issues with the bill and instead of taking testimony he would be convening a workgroup on the issue. Contact: Summer Minnick

Waterfront TIF Bill Becomes Law – Governor Granholm recently signed SB 47 (Allen, R-Traverse City), making it PA 94 of 2008. This legislation allows communities to create water improvement tax increment finance authorities to cleanup inland lakes and infrastructure improvements on lakefront property. The League will have a One Pager-Plus available on this subject shortly. Contact: Andy Schor

Cheers to Communities for Improvements through Transportation Enhancement Program – Congratulations to the following communities for receiving MDOT Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) funds for projects that will improve non-motorized trails statewide: the city of Kalamazoo will construct two miles of non-motorized trail connecting Veterans' Memorial Park to the Riverview Drive and Mosel Avenue intersection (received $1.02 million). The village of Gibraltar will construct a path connecting the Lake Erie Metropark with the Humbug Marsh International Wildlife Refuge (received $73,575). The village of Milford will add 2.9 miles of non-motorized trail to the Kensington Metropark Loop into Island Lake State Recreation Area (received $609,355). Members are urged to work with local MDOT offices to access more of the federal Transportation Enhancement Program grants set aside by federal law to enable communities to invest in streetscapes and non-motorized trails. Contact: Dave Worthams

New MDOT Construction Advisories Just In – The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) recently provided the League its latest construction advisories: New Ride Quality Specification and Riprap Placement for Storm Water Drainage. Members are reminded that past MDOT construction advisories are available at www.michigan.gov/mdot. Contact: Dave Worthams

Public Comment Period for Inland Lakes Permit Ends May 28 – The League has received notice from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) that the public comment period for a general permit for certain activities on inland lakes authorized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun. This new permit would impact noncommercial piers/docks/boat hoists, spring piles and clusters, replacement seawalls, installation of shoreline protection measures, filling for swimming areas, and maintenance dredging. The comment period ends May 28 and members are urged to forward any comments regarding the permit to MDEQ at this time. Click here to view the permit. Contact: Dave Worthams

MML Community Excellence Award: Just 3 Regions Left to Compete – Members in Regions 5, 6 and 7 still have a shot at taking home the MML Community Excellence Award Cup! Attend your Regional Education Seminar and present a local success story to the attendees in your region. Your peers will vote; there will be one winner from each of the seven MML regions. Each regional winner will then compete at the League's fall Annual Convention where one community will take home the Cup for a year. Congratulations to the following regional finalists: the city of Oak Park Blight-Prevention Project (Region 1); the city of Jackson Armory Arts Village (Region 2); the city of Zeeland "Feel the Zeel" branding/marketing campaign (Region 3) and; the city of Au Gres Community Library/Cultural Arts Center (Region 4).

MAM Capitol Reception Luncheon & Press Conference, May 22 – Michigan Association of Mayors (MAM): Please join the MAM board of directors May 22 at 10:45 a.m. in the State Capitol Building for a "Keep the Promise" press conference followed by the Annual MAM Capitol Reception Luncheon (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Click here for more information. To RSVP or to become a member of MAM, contact Nikole Brown.

Federal Update

NLC Federal Relations Report – According to the National League of Cities Federal Relations Update, last week the House took action to provide additional relief for the housing market while this week a proposal to federalize collective bargaining for public safety employees could move. The League strongly opposes the effort and asks members to contact Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow (see the League's Action Alert). Contact: Arnold Weinfeld