Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed a package of legislation Wednesday designed to provide the state with more flexibility in providing emergency loans to local units of government, such as cities and schools. House Bills 5566, 5567, 5568, 5569 and 5570 (now Public Acts 284 – 288, respectively) provide the state the ability to authorize $85 million in emergency loans over the next seven years. The package also allows a local unit under the control of an emergency manager to be eligible for the emergency loans. The Governor also signed House Bill 5015 (now Public Act 296) which provides a spending plan for Michigan’s portion of the $25 billion payday received when 48 state attorneys general settled with five national mortgage companies. The spending plan provides for the distribution of the funds to victims of wrongful foreclosure, blight elimination, and legal assistance to those facing foreclosure.

A new EPIC/MRA poll conducted July 28th and 29th and issued this week has incumbent U.S. Representatives Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield) and John Conyers (D-Detroit) leading their Primary opponents heading into next week’s election. In the 13th District, long-serving Representative Conyers is leading with 57 percent of the polling, followed by State Senator Glenn Anderson (D-Westland) with 17 percent. Both are trailed by the three other candidates in the field, State Senator Bert Johnson (D-Highland Park), State Representative Shanelle Jackson (D-Detroit) and John Goci. In the 14th, Mr. Peters is polling at 52 percent while U.S. Representative Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) is trailing at 33 percent. Former State Representative Mary Waters and Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence are well behind, polling in the single digits. The poll had a margin of error of plus/minus 3.5 percent. Meanwhile, the EPIC/MRA poll in the 11th District has former State Senator Nancy Cassis’ write-in campaign leading Kerry Bentivolio 52 percent to 36 percent and incumbent U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) leading Republican challenger Jack Hoogendyk 61 percent to 31 percent.

$8.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION GRANTS COMING TO MICHIGAN Projects in Michigan will receive $8.7 million of the $2.5 billion in grants announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The most significant portion is $3.34 million going to resurface and widen the shoulders of a portion of I-94 in Berrien County. $1.62 million will go to adding to the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The project will extend the 27-mile trail by an additional 3.17 miles. Also included in the grants are: • $1 million to add truck parking at the intersection of I-94 and M140 in Watervliet • $640,000 to complete initial engineering and station design for Ann Arbor WALLY, the proposed commuter rail line • $595,680 to Michigan Flyer to add four new round trips from East Lansing to Detroit Metropolitan Airport

CONGRESSMAN CAMP TO UNDERGO CANCER TREATMENT U.S. Representative Dave Camp (R-Midland) announced this week that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma following a routine physical. Mr. Camp’s statement indicated that he will undergo several months of chemotherapy for the cancer, described as “highly treatable and curable.” Mr. Camp was first elected to U.S. House of Representatives in 1991 from Michigan’s 4th District including his hometown of Midland. Mr. Camp is currently the Chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and has given no indication of slowing down. The PAA family joins a chorus of supporters and well-wishes in sending ongoing thoughts and prayers of strength and support to Congressman Camp and his family for a speedy return to good health.

Correction: In the July 27th edition of PAAdvisory, the article on the casino ballot proposal inaccurately reported that the deadline for determining if the proposal will appear on the ballot is September 17th. The accurate deadline is September 7th. Michigan Health & Hospital Association Honored Modern Healthcare has honored the Michigan Health & Hospital Association as one of the United State’s top healthcare employers. The magazine has issued the awards for five years. Economic Uptick Results in Lost Jobs 177 temporary and 225 permanent employees in the Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs (LARA) unit that handles customer service for unemployment benefits questions are losing their jobs as a result of Michigan’s improving economy. As the economy improves and the jobless become employed, federal assistance for unemployment benefits decreases, largely resulting in the layoffs. International Trade Continues Upward Momentum The U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week that international surface trade with Mexico and Canada continues to rise, as does Michigan’s role in the transactions. The report stated that $83.77 billion in trade took place in May of 2012 – up 8.3 percent from the same month in 2011. Michigan ranked first in trade with Canada – $6.48 billion, up 2.6 percent from May of 2011.