Inside 208

With 2012 coming to an end in the next month and half, it is time to get the word out again about the League’s Legislative Committees. We hope that you will consider being a member of one (or two) of the committees for 2013. There are two levels of participation:...

The Microenterprise Network of Michigan (MNM) is a statewide association that supports entrepreneurship and microbusiness development in Michigan. Their member’s organizations provide entrepreneurial training, business technical assistance/consulting and microlending resources to diverse communities in every Michigan county. The MNM is dedicated to leading job creation, asset building, access to capital,...

Thursday morning the House Local Government committee held a second hearing on a new bill introduced this summer that would amend PA 54 of 2012, the law prohibiting retroactive wage increases, to exempt police officers and firefighters. The committee held testimony but did not take a vote. HB 5780 seeks...

Wasting no time at all, both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (R-NV) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) have made statements today saying they have no plans to back down from their stances regarding expiring tax cuts and massive spending reductions which will go into effect at the end of...

In accordance with PA 480 of 2006, the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act, the Michigan Public Service Commission is soliciting feedback in its annual franchise survey. We are encouraging our members to participate. You can find the form online here: http://efile.mpsc.state.mi.us/phpsc/comm/video/ The Commission is asking for responses by November...

Before election day, the Michigan Municipal League weighed in on two of the ballot proposals: Proposal 5 and Proposal 6. Proposal 5, as you probably know by now, would require a 2/3 supermajority of votes in the Legisalture to pass bills that increase taxes.  Or, put another way, would allow...

The election is over. You have heard the results, but how did Michigan Municipal League members do? We have the answers. There are eighteen former League members in the House of Representatives. There will be six new members joining the House for the 97th legislative session.  That will make 24...

Thursday morning the House Local Government committee is holding a second a hearing on a new bill introduced this summer would amend PA 54 of 2012, the law prohibiting retroactive wage increases, to exempt police officers and firefighters. HB 5780 seeks to undo one of last year’s important reforms by...

Transportation For America is urging U.S. DOT to hold states accountable for real progress under MAP-21. Next Thursday October 25 from 1:00 PM EDT to 3:00 PM EDT, the U.S. DOT has announced that they will hold a listening session about performance measures for the NHS system. We strongly urge...

Applications for the competitive grant assistance program (formerly EVIP grants) are now available through the Department of Treasury’s website: http://www.michigan.gov/treasury/0,4679,7-121-1751_2197_58826_62422—,00.html The application period is from October 1, 2012 through December 3, 2012. Local units who are consolidating units or collaborating on services to be more efficient or cost effective are...