Lynn Markland Joins SaveMICity Podcast to Discuss the Effect of Michigan’s Disinvestment on the City of Fenton

On the latest episode of SaveMICity’s podcast, the Michigan Municipal League’s Anthony Minghine sits down with Fenton City Manager Lynn Markland to discuss how the broken municipal finance system has impacted his community.

Markland, who also serves as president of Michigan Municipal Executives, highlighted that while Fenton continues to grow, revenue is still down from where it was prior to the recession.

In a recent Tri-County Times article, Markland pointed out that Fenton’s property tax revenue is approximately $800,000 per year less today than it was 10 years ago.

“In addition to property tax revenue being down, the state of Michigan has withheld the full revenue sharing amount for several years,” Markland said. “The cumulative amount is over $4.5 million.”

With current funding, cities are not able to make the long-term investments necessary to improve the community. In Fenton, this disinvestment has resulted in personnel and position cuts in addition to the reduction of local infrastructure projects.

“It is frustrating, especially when the community is successful from a lot of other aspects,” Markland said. “And then you look at the balance sheet and see the things you couldn’t do that you would like to do.”

Markland is not alone in dealing with challenges created Michigan’s broken municipal finance system. Fenton, its neighboring communities and cities throughout the state have collectively lost $8.6 billion in revenue sharing since 2002, according to the SaveMICity Revenue Sharing Search Tool.

“It’s been a continued disinvestment of local government throughout the whole state of Michigan,” Markland said. “Whether it’s roads, revenue sharing – any of those financial issues – it’s impacted everybody.”

Our full podcast with Fenton City Manager Lynn Markland can be heard at savemicity.org/podcast/.