Inside 208

CALL MISS-DIG. Under the legislation considered today by the House Energy & Technology Committee a local unit of government faces penalties if they do not call the MISS-DIG system when beginning a project that involves digging. If a local unit does call MISS-DIG there is no liability. This afternoon the [...]

On Thursday, Rep. Amanda Price, chair of the House Local Government Committee, took general testimony on the problems local communities and organizations are having when attempting to deal with blighted properties in their area.  There were great discussions on many of problems being faced.  Officials from the city of Ypsilanti, [...]

This morning the House Tax Policy Committee passed Senate Bills 489 and 490, bills that are the first “fix” bills from the personal property tax (PPT) reform package that passed in December. The bills clarify the process for a businesses to claim exemptions under the legislation. The League has been [...]

This morning the League hosted a media roundtable to unveil and discuss our Partnership for Place proactive legislative agenda. You can view the agenda on the our website. View photos from the event here A number of legislators joined the event to discuss the importance of reinvesting in communities, and  [...]

In response to Governor Snyder’s 2013 address on Energy and the Environment, the administration held public forums across the state. The administration is also soliciting comments on the draft reports. The first report on energy efficiency is open for comment until Wednesday, October 16, 2013. If you’re interested in reviewing [...]

Michigan Municipal League CEO and Executive Director Dan Gilmartin will speak to the National Press Club Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, along with others in a presentation about the fiscal conditions of U.S. cities. Gilmartin will speak at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. during an event in which the [...]

The Michigan Chapter of the National Brownfield Association, in partnership with several other organizations including the MEDC and the MDEQ, is sponsoring a program at the Lansing Center on November 13. The agenda will include the latest developments on brownfield redevelopment initiatives, including legislative and policy changes under Act 381, [...]

SB 247 (Sen Virgil Smith – Detroit), a bill to establish a 2 am to 4 am liquor licenses in DDAs, had a testimony only hearing today in the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee.  This legislation would allow an on-premise license to apply to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission for a permit [...]

Yesterday SB 313, legislation that could cripple local rental inspection programs, was passed out of the Senate Local Government and Elections committee around 5:20 pm.  It is now on the senate floor where the sponsor has publicly committed to working on this before asking for a vote. The League along [...]

Yesterday afternoon the Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 428, a bill that would prohibit local units of government from buying flags assembled or manufactured outside of the United States if competitively priced flags of comparable quality are made in Michigan or somewhere else in the U.S. The bill would amend [...]