SaveMIcity comes to Adrian!
The Michigan Municipal League’s saveMIcity initiative has been all over the state and we were in Adrian Monday meeting with area elected officials, the business community, residents and the media. Despite multiple inches of snow falling in the area Sunday and into Monday morning, we had good attendance at the sessions where the League’s Anthony Minghine talked about the state’s failed system for funding municipalities.
The day started in the morning with Minghine meeting with municipal staff members and then there was a lunch meeting with about 30 area elected officials. In the afternoon, Minghine interviewed with the Adrian Daily Telegram editorial board, Adrian Daily Telegram reporter Dmitriy Shapiro, Tecumseh Herald reporter Jackie Koch, and WLEN radio reporter Gabe Schray. Then our big public event was at Siena Heights University in Adrian at 3:30 p.m. and we had about 30 residents and business leaders attend. In addition, Adrian City Administrator Shane Horn and Tecumseh City Manager Dan Swallow joined Minghine on stage and had a productive question and answer session with the audience.
For our visit to Adrian we also put together a list of revenue sharing dollars diverted to the area communities. Since 2002, Michigan communities have lost $7.5 billion in revenue sharing and in Lenawee County communities lost more than $25 million. This is statutory revenue sharing that, by formula, should have gone to local communities, but instead was diverted by the state for its own state budget.
Lenawee County Revenue Sharing Losses 2002-2015:
Addison Village – $223,975
Adrian Township – $690,108
Adrian – $9,402,690
Blissfield Village – $1,245,575
Blissfield Township – $115,698
Britton Village – $201,063
Cambridge Township – $525,272
Cement City Village – $148,104
Clayton Village – $126,410
Clinton Village – $753,225
Clinton Township – $270,563
Deerfield Township – $119,398
Deerfield Village – $332,717
Dover Township – $265,842
Fairfield Township – $393,968
Franklin Township – $417,418
Hudson – $992,690
Hudson Township – $217,559
Macon Township – $195,041
Madison Township – $1,131,193
Medina Township – $206,110
Morenci – $960,783
Ogden Township – $178,772
Onsted Village – $262,488
Palmyra Township – $282,526
Raisin Township – $979,121
Ridgeway Township – $168,784
Riga Township – $240,764
Rollin Township – $341,471
Rome Township – $286,849
Seneca Township – $172,855
Tecumseh Township – $216,717
Tecumseh – $2,915,588
Woodstock Township – $392,474
TOTAL – $25,373,812
About our saveMIcity work: Our research shows that the state has diverted more than $7.5 billion in revenue sharing dollars from Michigan communities since 2002. Michigan is the only state in the nation to invest less in its communities between 2002 and 2012. (View the chart here).
Our saveMIcity work is an examination of how we can do things differently in Michigan to assure that local government can’t just survive, but can thrive. To that end, the League will be developing policy recommendations around three themes: Cost Containment, Revenue Enhancement, and Structure of Government.
We are taking this approach to break away from the historically limiting tactic of incremental change within the context of where we are today. We need new ideas, innovative approaches, and bold action to create a new future for communities around Michigan.
Is this an issue that you care about and would like to have a discussion about locally? The League will work with you to plan an event in your hometown with community groups, local chambers of commerce, local media, etc. Just contact us and we will provide resources and/or a speaker to help foster the discussion.
View additional photos in this set on flickr.