Blog categorized as Local Government

During Tuesday night's presidential primary, 30 of the 161 local tax issues failed, including the boldest proposal on the ballot, a $58.4 million bond for Almont Community Schools, which serves Lapeer, St. Clair, Macomb and Oakland counties.

In the wake of the shooting death of prominent Lansing Democratic activist Ted Lawson, Lansing’s City Council is ramping up conversations on what more can be done at the local level to push for more responsible gun ownership.

More than 200 local ordinances, property tax hikes, and bonding proposals are up for a vote on Nov. 7 worth a combined total of more than $2.7 billion. In addition, three municipalities are asking voters to adopt ranked-choice voting.

The Senate Labor Committee approved legislation Thursday permitting local governments to set minimum wage rates and benefit mandates higher than the statewide standard, undoing an 8-year-old Snyder-era preemption nicknamed the "Death Star" law.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan urged lawmakers to move his property tax plan to disincentivize land speculation by increasing taxes on vacant land and reducing taxes on buildings during Wednesday’s House Tax Policy Committee hearing.