Title
Resolution Establishing the Preservation and Fulfillment of State Funding Obligations to Municipalities as a City of Ann Arbor Legislative Policy Priority
Staff
Prepared by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The State of Michigan has a statutory duty to fund fire protection grants and the City of Ann Arbor relies on these grants to protect its residents and businesses;
Whereas, The Fire Protection Grant program, created pursuant to Public Act 289 of 1977, provides grant payments to local units of government for fire protection of state-owned facilities;
Whereas, In 2003, legislation created fines for various violations of the Michigan Vehicle Code, which provided revenue for the Fire Protection Fund, the source for the fire protection grant program to municipalities;
Whereas, Actual grant levels are subject to legislative appropriations;
Whereas, The State Senate Competitiveness Committee is considering several bills amending the Michigan Vehicle Code that would eliminate the Driver Responsibility Fees on or after September 30, 2018 and that would also clear any outstanding liability an individual may have to pay these fees; and
Whereas, The City Council’s Policy Agenda Committee has raised the protection of state funding as a City priority;
RESOLVED, That the City Council add the preservation and fulfillment of state constitutional and statutory funding obligations to municipalities as a policy directive to the City Administrator;
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator is directed to communicate the City’s position that state fire protection grants must be protected with the elected officials in the City’s state delegation, and to keep Council informed as to the status of state funding;
RESOLVED, That City Council request that Governor Snyder recommend full funding for this statutory duty in his budget recommendation to the State Legislature to be delivered in February, 2018, and that the City Administrator forward a copy of this Resolution to the Governor’s Office; and
RESOLVED, That the City Clerk forward copies of this Resolution to the Mayors of Detroit, East Lansing, Ypsilanti, Kalamazoo, Mount Pleasant, Marquette, and any other underfunded grant recipient communities identified by the City Administrator that may be similarly impacted.
Sponsored by: Councilmember Lumm