Inside 208

The Michigan House of Representatives has introduced a legislative package over the last two weeks that would strip local governments of their decision-making authority, dismiss years of community planning work, and amount to a clear override from Lansing on local voices and voter-backed decisions. House Bills 5529, 5530, 5531, 5532, [...]

As local leaders, we have a chance to stand united in opposition to zoning preemption legislation that has been introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives and is currently before the Government Operations Committee. House Bills 5529 through 5532, and 5581 through 5585, if enacted, would strip locally elected officials...

Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s eighth and final executive budget recommendation was presented today (2/11) by State Budget Director Jen Flood. The recommendation totals $88.1 billion, including a general fund total of $13.6 billion and a school aid budget totaling $21.4 billion. There are significant pressures on this year’s budget that are creating a $1.8B gap in funding. To address these pressures, the governor [...]

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is pleased to announce the solicitation of applications for candidate projects for the Local Bridge Program. Selected projects will be funded during the 2029 fiscal year (FY). Do not submit projects which cannot be committed to construction within FY 2029. The applications can be [...]

For the first time in more than a decade, we are seeing a strong, bipartisan effort in Congress to address the housing affordability crisis through pragmatic, locally informed policy solutions that will be put to quick use at the local level. The House Financial Services Committee recently approved the Housing [...]

The Michigan Department of Treasury reminds municipalities that the Local Community Stabilization Authority (LCSA) Act provides them with an opportunity to review and correct calculations and data used in the 2025 Personal Property Tax (PPT) reimbursements distributed in October 2025 and February 2026. To determine if an error occurred, municipalities [...]

The Office of Senator Gary Peters will host two informational webinars. One for local officials from the Mid-Michigan region and a second webinar for local officials from other areas across the state. Mid-Michigan Local Officials Mid-Michigan Local Officials are invited to attend an upcoming webinar focused on the resources and [...]

The U.S. Department of Justice has finalized new ADA Title II regulations requiring state and local governments to make their websites, mobile applications and digital services accessible to people with disabilities. These rules formally adopt the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 Level AA) as the standard for federal compliance. [...]

The League was proud to support Public Act 58 of 2025, signed in to law in late December, amending the Land Division Act to increase the number of allowable splits of a parent parcel. These changes support the MML’s pro-housing policy work. Previously, the act allowed for up to 4 [...]

From small towns to large cities, the Asset Management Champions program empowers local leaders to make data-driven infrastructure decisions The Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC) has opened applications for the ninth cohort of its Asset Management (AM) Champions program, a statewide initiative designed to equip Michigan’s infrastructure leaders with tools and [...]