Inside 208

This morning the House Energy & Technology Committee unanimously passed SB 1064, a bill that pre-empts local zoning for cell phone tower siting. While the League is philosophically opposed to the legislation, we do appreciate Senator Kowall’s willingness to work with us to address at least some of those concerns. [...]

Both the House and Senate are moving forward with separate versions of spending bills for the 2013 budget.  In the Senate, leaders from both parties have agreed on an overal spending level of $1.047 trillion for fiscal year 2013, which is the total amount available under the 2011 debt limit agreement. The House [...]

The House and Senate have named their conferees and the first meeting of the committee tasked with hammering out a new transportation authorization before the current extension expires will meet on May 8.  The most recent extension ends June 30th. That said, Michigan is represented on the conference committee as both Congressmen [...]

Today, the Senate passed SB 954, which makes appropriations for EVIP/Statutory Revenue Sharing. The bill appropriates the same amount that the Governor proposed $210 million. It reduced the years for budget projects as part of the dashboard (category 1) to two years, from the Governor’s three. For category two, the [...]

This morning the House Local Government committee held testimony on House Bills 5566-5570, bills that amend the Emergency Municipal Loan Act and several other statutes to relax the triggers. It would now allow communities with special assessments whose developers have abandoned a project to qualify for a loan from the [...]

The League’s Summer Minnick and Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski testify about the personal property tax issue on April 18, 2012. View additional photos from the hearing and related press conference here on the League’s flickr page. LANSING, Michigan – The Michigan Senate just posted one finance committee meeting for next [...]

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed HB 5365, the omnibus budget bill for Fiscal Year 2012-13. There were no changes made in the House from what the subcommittee passed regarding EVIP/Statutory Revenue Sharing. So, the bill still contains a $10 million increase in funding from the Governor’s proposal. And it [...]

Yesterday, the House Tax Policy Committee took testimony on a bill that would exempt all property (real and personal) owned by any veteran’s service organization. The bill, HB 5457 is sponsored by Rep. Heise (R-Plymouth). The League testified in opposition to the bill as an additional cut to local revenues. [...]

This afternono the Senate Economic Development Committee held testimony on SB 94, a bill that creates a cancer presumption for full-time, active firefighters. The League testified in opposition to the legislation on the basis that it will increase costs for our communities. In addition adding a cancer presumption could lead [...]

If you recall a few weeks ago, the League testified in opposition to SB 972, a bill that would require locals report past due tax amounts on each tax bill.  League staff worked closely with the sponsor’s office, Sen. Hildenbrand, to come up with a solution to the problem he [...]