House Judiciary Hears Testimony at Unfunded Mandates Reform Hearing

LANSING, Mich., May 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Under legislation discussed today, the state would no longer be able to push down new costs to people in local communities for state programs.

House Bills 5797, 5799-5801, were all up for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, May 5, which would address the habit of adopting unfunded mandates in the state of Michigan. Present in support of this legislation were county officials from around the state including 25 staff and commissioners with the Michigan Association of Counties.

"We recommend moving forward on this important legislation to address an issue which has remained unaddressed for roughly 30 years," said Robert J. Daddow, Deputy Oakland County Executive.

Daddow, speaking in support of this legislation, was present along with county commissioners from across Michigan to support these bills which will make future mandates optional if no funding is provided, streamline the process for Headlee challenges and require all bill analyses to attach a fiscal note which details the cost of proposed legislation to local units of government.

MAC President Larry Emig and board member Jon Campbell testified with Tom Hickson Jr., MAC Director of Legislative Affairs, that this could be one of the best reforms the legislature could pass and that the passage of this legislation would go a long way to restoring some of the trust that has been lost between counties and the state.  

"We want to extend our hand and work with the legislature because we're all representing the same people and I think it's incumbent on all of us, especially in these budget times, to work together," said Campbell.

Present at this hearing was Tim McGuire, MAC Executive Director; Tom Hickson Jr., MAC Director of Legislative Affairs; Ben Bodkin, MAC Legislative Coordinator; and county officials:

• Terry Burns, Allegan County Commissioner
• Jon Campbell, Allegan County Commissioner
• Tom Mullaney, Alpena County Commissioner
• Paul McNamara, Clinton County Commissioner
• Leo Farhat, Eaton County Commissioner
• Clark Elftman, Huron County Commissioner
• David Peruski, Huron County Commissioner
• Andy Schor, Ingham County Commissioner
• Franklin Thompson, Kalamazoo County Commissioner
• Jack Urban, Kalamazoo County Commissioner
• Bob Myers, Lake County Commissioner
• Ken Wenzel, Lake County Commissioner
• Jim Van Doren, Lenawee County Commissioner
• Chris Hyzer, Montcalm County Controller
• Bill Bullard Jr., Oakland County Commissioner
• Jeff Potter, Oakland County Commissioner
• Dave Woodward, Oakland County Commissioner
• Larry Emig, Osceola County Commissioner and MAC Board President
• Jim Holtrop, Ottawa County Commissioner
• Ann Doyle, Saginaw County Commissioner
• Dennis Krafft, Saginaw County Commissioner
• Judy Lincoln, Saginaw County Commissioner
• Joe Palamara, Wayne County Commissioner
• Kristin Judge, Washtenaw County Commissioner

SOURCE Michigan Association of Counties