As legislators reconvene in Lansing for their fall session, the MLive Media Group has begun a week-long look at a key issue for counties across the state: tax capture districts.
MAC has been educating lawmakers on the need to reform state law on how tax increment financing districts operate and now a new University of Michigan report illustrates that need again. Read the entire story here, but we think this segment goes to the heart of the matter on transparency and accountability:
“‘Why do we think that TIFs are a good thing in terms of tax policy if we don’t know how their money is being used?’ Bieri said.
“In addition to the state not exercising regulatory authority over these authorities, the boards that run TIFs are not elected and thus not directly responsible to the citizens of the communities they serve.
“‘Joe public, the average citizen has very little ballot box control over that property tax revenue that is used for TIFs,’ Bieri said.”
Keep checking your MAC website and watch for Legislative Updates from MAC HQ to stay abreast of all developments on this issue.