Inside 208

Yesterday the House Appropriations Committee passed House Bills 5414 and 5501, legislation that would repeal Driver Responsibility Fees. The fees were enacted over a decade ago to penalize “bad” drivers. The fees have contributed more than $100 million to the state’s general fund. In addition they fund Fire Protection Grants [...]

Under House Bill 4916 a city, village or township may by written authorization allow a charitable organization to solicit donations in the public right-of-way within their geographic boundaries. Individuals soliciting donation must be at least 18 years of age and must wear high visibility safety apparel. The written authorization must [...]

Late last week the House introduced a package of bills, House Bills 5566-5575, that seek to deal with the bankruptcy in the City of Detroit. The state will appropriate $194.8 million dollars that will go toward the city’s pension system. In exchange there are a number of conditions set forth [...]

This afternoon the Michigan Senate reported its version of the budget that scraps the Economic Vitality Incentive Program (EVIP) and reworks the revenue sharing formula. The Senate’s proposal includes an additional $31 million for revenue sharing for local communities. The proposal would give a 1 percent increase to all cities, [...]

The Michigan Municipal League is encouraging its members to join us in support the August 5, 2014, ballot proposal, that if approved, would complete much needed reform to the state’s personal property tax. The League is part of the Strong & Safe Communities coalition that is supporting the ballot question. [...]

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has released a Frequently Asked Question document regarding the changes recently made to the Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices (GAAMPs) and the areas of impact these changes affect. That can be found here: Right to Farm FAQ. It is important to note [...]

The EVIP/CIP Category 3: Unfunded Accrued Liability Plan is due on June 1, 2014. Submissions can be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to 517-335-3298 up to (and including) 11:59pm on Sunday, June 1, 2014.  Please check Treasury’s website for additional information, including the required Certification Form 5074, available templates and [...]

The application for FY 2014 – Round 2 of the Competitive Grant Assistance Program (CGAP) is now available. The application is available on the Department of Treasury’s website. There is approximately $8.0 million in CGAP funding available for this round.  Applications are due to the Michigan Department of Treasury by [...]

Yesterday the House passed the omnibus budget that included changes to EVIP. Under this proposal category 1, the dashboard, would remain in effect without change. One change made on the House floor was to eliminate one category. As the budget passed out of committee, category 2 would require 5 percent [...]

Local Solutions to Pay for Your Infrastructure Projects: Infrastructure Funding & Financing This free webinar is being hosted by the National League of Cities on Tuesday, May 13th from 2:00 – 3:00. To register, click here. Investment in infrastructure is critical to the economic development of this nation.  Not only [...]