Inside 208

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has announced the Downtown Infrastructure Grant Program (DIG) aimed at helping low and moderate income Michigan non-entitlement communities to improve their downtown infrastructure quality and reduce redevelopment costs for future projects. DIG, a Community Development Block Grant program, is designed to provide public infrastructure improvement [...]

Michigan Municipal League staff members met with key state lawmakers today in Lansing about the League’s new proactive legislative agenda, called the Partnership for Place. You can check out the agenda here. The League is hosting three free webinars for League members about the Partnership for Place agenda 10-11 a.m. [...]

Michigan State University has released a report suggesting ways to help deal with certain blighted, abandoned private property. In the report they suggest performance bonds, or something similar, that could be used to help with the tear down after certain commercial or industrial developments are no longer in use. They [...]

This afternoon the senate passed a set of bills, HB 4458-4464, to prohibit a TIF district from keeping tax increment revenues from ad valorem property taxes levied under the Zoological Authorities Act and the Art Institute Authorities Act.  This language is added into the following acts: Tax Increment Financing Authority [...]

The Michigan Fitness Foundation offers an opportunity for all communities to start their own Labor Day tradition by hosting a Labor Day Community Walk. Labor Day Community Walks showcase the unique parks and recreation spaces in the local community’s own backyard. The event also gives the community a chance to [...]

Today the House Local Government committee held testimony on SBs 35-39, a package of bills dealing with blighted properties.  These bills would: Senate Bill 35 would allow cities that use administrative hearings bureau to adjudicate blight violations to establish additional civil and criminal penalties on a person who committed a [...]

HB 4458-4464 passed the Senate Economic Development Committee this week.  These would prohibit a TIF district from keeping tax increment revenues from ad valorem property taxes levied under the Zoological Authorities Act and the Art Institute Authorities Act.  This language is added into the following acts: Tax Increment Financing Authority [...]

HB 4629 passed out of the House Transportation Committee this week.  This bill was created in most part to deal with issues that were presented to MDOT from a federal audit done on the Highway Advertising Act. If these issues (definition for digital billboards, definition for non-conforming billboard, etc) are [...]

This afternoon the Michigan Competitiveness Committee heard testimony on House Bill 4182, a bill that would give an income tax credit to students who graduate with a Bachelors degree from a Michigan college if that individual lives and works in Michigan following graduation. The League is supportive of this legislation [...]

Last week the House Local Government Committee took testimony on tax increment financing districts. The chair (Rep. Amanda Price) wanted to take the opportunity to give committee members an idea of what TIFs were and how they function. The Department of Treasury testified first giving a brief overview of TIFs, their [...]