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There so many bills introduced and many BAD bills that no one can possibly keep up and at times its is overwhelming.  Additionally, we are all unpaid volunteers with other responsibilities, home family, jobs. However, there are certain bills that so egregious IF we can catch them, we should. And there IS time to catch these!

WE NEED TO SEND SOME EMAIL TESTIMONY IN TO HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE WED (Nov 6th)  BY 10:30 AM!

Committee Clerk : mabdul@house.mi.gov

ALL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE COMMITTEE MEETING & LOCATION BELOW THIS POST

What we have here is a whole package of VERY BAD bills in Committee that give MORE power to a quasi-government agency that is NOT subject to the Open Meeting Act and NOT subject to FOIA has an appointed board but uses YOUR tax dollars! NO TRANSPARENCY NO ACCOUNTABILITY

That would be the Michigan Economic Development Corp (MEDC) via the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF)

Some background:

The MSF was created under Public Act (P.A.) 270 of 1984 as an autonomous entity with the stated intent of producing economic development in the state. Executive Order 1999-1 formerly John Engler (R) expanded the authority of the MSF by transferring all state funded economic development programs to the MSF.

The MSF was also transferred to the Department of Management and Budget as an autonomous state agency, governed by a board of directors. As a state agency, the MSF was able to enter into interlocal agreements with local entities as provided under the Urban Cooperation Act of 1967.

The interlocal agreements between the MSF and local entities created the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), which is also an autonomous entity of the state of Michigan.

The MEDC acts as the administrative arm and provides all program services for programs created under the MSF. Therefore, a majority of the state appropriations and employees are transferred to the MEDC.

The MSF is administered by an 11 member board and is charged with approving private activity bonds; authorizing Community Development Block Grant applications; recommending renaissance zones to the State Administrative Board; approving MSF designated renaissance zones; and acting as fiduciary agent with respect to the 21st Century Jobs Fund investments.

Control and management of the MEDC is conducted by the MEDC Executive Committee consisting of 20 members, appointed by the governor.

If you recall the Urban Cooperation Act of 1967 (UCA) was what Snyder used to circumvent the legislature and make a “compact” with Canada for the DRIC Brdige. The UCA allows for state agencies to enter into compact with even foreign governments. Here is one begging for repeal!

Gov.Snyder’s Inter-local Agreement with Canada to Build the NITC Bridge!

If you also recall Gov Snyder has a HUGE problem with transparency:

After Veto, Gov. Snyder’s Commitment To Transparency Questioned formerly https://www.mackinac.org/17411
Governor vetoed bill passed unanimously by the Legislature

In rare veto, Michigan Gov. Snyder rejects bill dealing with ‘cross boundary’ government agreements

Should the legislature override Governor Snyder’s veto of the Transparency Bill? formerly http://www.clinton-countygop.org/content/should-legislature-override-governor-snyders-veto-transparency-bill (YES they could have since the bill passed without not one NO vote but maybe House Speaker Bolger got in the way?)

These bills expand power and scope of the MEDC, via the MSF both “autonomous entities” including new appropriations for Pure Michigan

I have not read all the bills in their entirely but I am relying on the Senate Fiscal analysis of these bills and that MEMO which is a good summary of the expansion of powers is HERE

This MEMO provides a summary of the proposed changes to the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Act in a package of both Senate and House introduced bills.

The bills include Senate Bills 269, 270, 271,272, and 278 as well as House Bills 4071, 4480, 4481, and 4482.

Generally, the bills would expand the authority of,and provide greater latitude to the MSF. Additionally, the bills would consolidate and eliminate reporting requirements. The bills are not tie barred

 HB 4482 is the bill the expands the power of the MEDC

Caperson’s bills creates a new level in the Michigan Development Corporation (Urban Cooperation Act (Public Act 7 of 1967) which will benefit his district the 38th

No doubt one of the “bennies” he gets for voting YES on Snyder’s Medicaid Expansion

Senate Bill 397 would amend the Next Michigan Development Act to allow the board of the Michigan Strategic Fund to designate a sixth Next Michigan Development Corporation.  (Currently, only five such corporations can be designated.)

House Bill 4782  (which parallels Senate Bill 398) would amend the same act to specify that the Michigan Strategic Fund, when determining whether to designate a Next Michigan Development Corporation, must give preference to an “eligible Act 7 entity” made up of at least two contiguous counties that combined have a population of more than 103,000 but less than 106,000 (at the 2010 census) and where the population of the largest city of one of the counties, when combined with the largest city of the other county, is more than 32,500 but less than 35,500.  (This would appear to apply to Marquette and Delta Counties and the cities of Marquette and Escanaba.)

An “Act 7 entity” is a reference to an entity formed under the Urban Cooperation Act (Public Act 7 of 1967, extra session).

And in a show of “bi-partisanship” Casperson teamed up with Kivela (D)

And apparently Leonard and Foster put their heads together with Santana (D)

Isn’t that special?!  GOP and the Dems joining hands and singing Kumbaya to expand the size and scope of government, ones that lack Open Meeting and FOIA  Granholm would be and now Snyder are so proud!

This entire package of bills should be opposed particularly HB 4482

ALL INFORMATION SENDING FOR SENDING YOUR TESTIMONY (via email) OR TESTIFYING IN PERSON  TO THE COMMITTEE TO OPPOSE THESE BILLS IS AS FOLLOWS:

These bills are in the Commerce Committee

 More of Gov. Snyder’s Problems with Transparency
Gov. Snyder’s NERD Fund Pays Salary Of Adviser Baird And For Internship Program, Spokeswoman Says

Gov. Snyder dissolving NERD fund with anonymous donors formerly/http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/23750481/gov-snyder-dissolving-nerd-fund-with-anonymous-donors

Top Snyder adviser Richard Baird to be paid by state formerly/http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/23730580/top-snyder-adviser-richard-baird-to-be-paid-by-state

Activist sues for donor names to NERD fund, wants Mike Duggan to take stand Monday (archived link)