Inside 208

For the first time in ten years, Congress is on the verge of passing a long-term transportation package and there are some big wins for local governments within the new deal. The committee of House and Senate negotiators have agreed to the new bill worth approximately $305 billion, entitled the FAST...

The United States House of Representatives just took some significant action on critical issues which had been looming. They passed legislation which suspends the debt ceiling until March of 2017 and lifts budget caps set by sequestration by $80 billion through September 2017. That increase will be split evenly between...

A deal to increase the federal debt limit and set some federal budget figures has been struck by Congress and the President, according to many sources out of Washington DC. The deal would raise the debt ceiling through March 2017 and would lift sequestration caps in the budget for fiscal...

`The National League of Cities has launched Cities Lead 2016, which is a new platform for local officials to engage with Presidential candidates on important city issues. By signing up here, you can receive updated information on the campaign and send a message that you want to hear candidates address...

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted this week to support a six year federal transportation bill, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform – STTR – Act of 2015 (H.R. 3763), which has provisions that are seen as being very favorable to local governments – similar to that of the...

Michigan Municipal League President Dick Bolen led a Michigan contingent to Washington D.C. this week to attend the 50th Annual National League of Cities (NLC) Congressional City Conference.  The group had the opportunity to hear President Barack Obama talk Monday morning. The President’s speech was live streamed by the White...

Congress passed a $1.1 Trillion budget bill, which is a combination of an omnibus budget and continuing resolution, funding most of the federal government through Sept 30, 2015. However, the Department of Homeland Security only received funding through February 27th, 2015. Overall, the bill increases federal spending for the year...

With time winding down in the Congressional session, now is the time to push for action on marketplace fairness. This issue has legs and we’re hoping to get it over the finish line in the final days. Marketplace fairness would close the online sales tax loophole and level the playing...

The Environmental Protection Agency is having an open comment period until December 22nd, to allow individuals and organizations to respond to proposed new regulation of discharge of dental amalgam into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) as part of the Clean Water Act. The regulation would classify dentists as an “industrial...

On November 5th from 1-2pm, BB&K telecommunications attorneys are providing a free webinar to provide an overview of the new FCC wireless siting rules, the timetable for responding to them, and the challenges and opportunities facing public bodies as they attempt to protect local interests, while complying with federal requirements...