House Makes More Changes To Revenue Sharing

The omnibus government operations budget bill, HB 5313, passed 92-17, seeing around 70 proposed amendments. The bill was passed without the road funding requirement added in a House subcommittee. State Representative Jeff Farrington (R-Utica) won an amendment to the proposal that removes the requirement for municipalities participating in the Economic Vitality Incentive Program (EVIP) to spend an amount equal to 5 percent of their revenue sharing payment on roads. The communities must still meet financial transparency requirements and commit an amount equal to 5 percent of the revenue sharing payment to unfunded liabilities.

Most of the amendments suggested by Democrats were shot down, but Representative Adam Zemke (D-Ann Arbor) won an amendment providing $600,000 to certain students for GED tests after June 2015. Those receiving testing aid would have to either enroll in postsecondary academic or vocational coursework at a Michigan college or university within two years of passing. Alternatively, they must complete a workforce development agency-approved GED preparation program.

Representative Joe Haveman (R-Holland), House Appropriations chair, won an amendment that limits film incentive funds going to the west Michigan film office to 10 percent. Representative Bruce Rendon (R-Lake City) won an amendment that increases an item in the Department of Community Health’s budget from $700,000 to $1.5 million for pregnancy and parenting support services. The funds must be used to “promote childbirth and alternatives to abortion.”

The bill also requires the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to provide a plan by February 2015 on funding the Pure Michigan campaign with incrementally increasing private-source matching funds. The first increment must be 50 percent non-restricted and 50 percent private. The private sector match must increase by 5 percent every year from then on until private sources account for 75 percent of all funding.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, May 9, 2014 10:37 AM
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