For months, the Michigan Municipal League has been saying the state needs to reverse billions of dollars of cuts to revenue sharing to avoid a “perfect storm” for cities and other local governments. It claims the state’s model for funding local governments is broken. We find out from the MML’s Tony Minghine.
Earlier this year, a group that advocates for Michigan municipalities relaunched an effort to better fund cities and local units of government. Since 2002, Michigan has diverted from local governments a total of $7.5-billion in revenue sharing money. The Michigan Municipal League’s Save MI City effort focuses on what it and many others say are the negative consequences of those reductions and in shrinking options for creating local revenue.
So seven months after the relaunch, and after many discussions all around the state, where is the League’s effort? Are they changing minds? What are they hearing and what have they learned?
We talk with Tony Minghine, associate executive director and COO of the Michigan Municipal League.