Inside 208

Late Friday afternoon, the Michigan Department of Treasury released their guidance and reporting packet related to the $150 million of federal CARES Act funding that was appropriated to local governments in place of the $97 million that was cut from statutory revenue sharing payments due to the elimination of the [...]

The Michigan Department of Treasury released the following updates  this afternoon on federal CARES Act programs aimed at supporting local units of government.  These programs include the $150 million in replacement funding for the suspended August 2020 statutory (CVTRS) revenue sharing payments, the $100 million hazard pay premium allowance for [...]

The Michigan Municipal League has joined with state leaders and the county association in calling for additional resources to support essential services during this COVID-19 crisis. The League, the Michigan State Budget Office, and the Michigan Association of Counties (MAC), today sent this joint letter to President Trump and the [...]

On Saturday, August 8, 2020, at 10 a.m., the Great Lakes Coalition will be hosting its Annual Meeting.  The meeting will be held alternatively as a webinar due to COVID-19. The featured speakers of the GLC Annual Meeting will be: US Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) Commissioner Rob Sisson, International Joint [...]

Late Friday afternoon, Governor Whitmer signed the current year state budget supplemental that replaces the August CVTRS payment for all cities, villages, and townships with additional federal CARES dollars and makes some changes to the previous CARES funded programs for local units. Following the Governor's signature, the Michigan Dept of...

Late last night, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a new version of the previously vetoed summer tax deferral legislation.  This new version of SB 943 was approved along mainly partisan lines and was developed without prior input from local government groups or schools. The proposal strikes all of the [...]

Following the Governor's late June announcement of a budget deal to address the current year state budget shortfall due to the pandemic, the House and Senate Appropriations committees met jointly this morning to act on those negotiated reductions. For League members, a key component of this budget deal includes a...

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative has recently launched its campaign to secure $20 billion for shoreline communities throughout the Great Lakes Basin and along the Mississippi River impacted by high waters and shoreline erosion. The Cities' Initiative's ask to both the US and Canadian federal governments is...

Governor Whitmer signed executive order 2020-154, which extends previous executive orders to provide temporary alternative means to conduct public meetings, conduct administrative proceedings, and provide the required notice under tax abatement statutes.   Under Executive Order 2020-154, all three previous orders are consolidated and extended to protect the public health and safety of Michiganders. The new [...]

MDOT has announced the fifth annual call for grant applications to the Local Grade Crossing Surface Program. Applications are due September 25, 2020. As a reminder, the Local Grade Crossing Surface Program provides 60% state funding taken from “off-the-top” MTF, and requires a 40% railroad match for work on grade [...]