League
and Others to Hold Press Conference on Elimination of Personal
Property Tax
 The
Michigan Municipal League is part of a coalition having a
press conference Thursday, Sept. 8 at 9 am, about the effort
in Lansing to eliminate the Personal Property Tax (PPT) on
businesses. The League, as well as officials from the Michigan
Association of Counties, Michigan Library Association, Michigan
Association of School Boards, Michigan Association of Chiefs
of Police, Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs and other organizations,
will explain the devastating impact cutting this tax will
have on Michigan residents if the tax is not fully replaced.
The press conference is taking place at the League’s
Lansing office: 208 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing. Stay tuned to
mml.org and
replacedonterase.com.
State
Affairs Update
 Hard
Cap and 80/20 Healthcare Law “One Pager” Now Available
–
The League has created a “one
pager” of information on the details of the Hard
Cap and 80/20 healthcare legislation (SB 7) that goes into
effect on January 1, 2012. This legislation 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), and awaits the governor’s signature. 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 instead opt into an 80/20
cost sharing arrangement, or optout entirely. MORE>
Geographic
Renaissance Zone Subzones to Expire at End of Year
Early
Bird Deadline Extended to Friday, Sept. 9 for Convention
Local
Officials Offer Mixed Views on Employee Unions
EVIP
Grants Available for Cooperative Efforts
Vendor
Presentation Sessions Offer Indepth Tips on Key Municipal
Issues
Federal Update
 Transportation
and Infrastructure Front and Center as Congress Returns –
With Congress returning to work, the issues of job creation
and transportation and infrastructure spending appear to be
closely linked. The President has already given
one speech urging Congress to approve another extension
of the current transportation funding authorization, and all
reports indicate that his speech this week will also focus
on job creation through spending on transportation and infrastructure.
MORE>
Federal
Highway Relents On Traffic Sign Regulations
Michigan
Receives Funding for Transportation Projects
Firefighter
Assistance Grants Available
Federal
Grant Opportunities
Rural
Development Solid Waste Grants Available
21st Century Communities
 Economics
of Place
Book Released, Available from League at Amazon – The
League has published a book on placemaking as an economic
development tool, The Economics of Place: The Value of
Building Communities Around People. View Dan Gilmartin's
Economics
of Place blog. Click
here to learn more about the book and its authors.
Survey
Results on “Placemaking” and the Housing Industry
Test
a Neighborhood’s Livability with the “Popsicle
Test” and the “Halloween Test”
Michigan
Main Street Program Seeks Communities
Green
Communities, Complete Streets Training/Funding Opp.Available
Economic
Gardening Workshops |
