NEWS

Legislature falls short on giving counties the tools they need to address retirement funding, MAC says

Dec 7, 2017 | Legislative

Steve Currie

Steve Currie

The Legislature’s decision to focus bills to adopt the recommendations of Gov. Rick Snyder’s task force on the pension-OPEB crisis leaves Michigan’s 83 counties without adequate new tools they need to address funding of retirement benefits, MAC’s executive director said.

Stephan W. Currie, who has served on both of Snyder’s task forces on this issue, said in response to the Legislature’s actions early Thursday morning, “We still need a variety of new tools to address commitments.”

“Adoption of the task force recommendations” Currie added, “is a bare minimum effort on collecting data on the problem. The other side of the coin here is, of course, revenue. Heading into Wednesday, we saw good prospects on separate, but related, legislation that would have created a secure fund for county revenue sharing and set a schedule for increased payments. Those advances now appear to be stuck.”

MAC supported the task force recommendations and, thus, supports the new versions of the bills, but Currie said that most of the work remains unfinished.

“This fell far short of the mark,” he said. “But we will continue to work with our members and the state to, first, collect the best data on the problem and convince state lawmakers of the need to equip county governments with the tools and revenue they need to handle these benefits.”

Recent News

Legislative Update 4-25-25

Public safety fund advances out of House In a powerful show of bipartisan cooperation, the Michigan House of Representatives this week passed House Bills 4260-61, legislation that establishes a long-awaited Public Safety and Violence Prevention Fund. The bills...

April designated as County Government Month via House resolution

A legislative resolution sponsored by MAC was among activities in April to mark National County Government Month. Rep. Steve Frisbie, a former Calhoun County commissioner now serving his first term in the Michigan House of Representatives, sponsored a resolution (HR...

Legislative Update 4-18-25

MAC testifies for public safety fund bills; House committee advances them Legislation to create a Public Safety Trust Fund advanced from the House Committee on Government Operations on Thursday after taking testimony from MAC and others in support of the concept....

Legislative Update 4-11-25

Deadline extended on Opioid Settlement Funds Survey The second annual opioid settlement county reporting survey will remain open until April 21. MAC, in partnership with Public Sector Consultants (PSC), is conducting the survey. The survey allows MAC to: Update the...

Legislative Update 4-4-25

Legislative Conference begins Monday in Lansing More than 300 county and business leaders will gather in Lansing April 7-9 to hear from state leaders and policymakers at the 2025 Michigan Counties Legislative Conference, co-hosted by MAC and the Michigan County...

Categories

Archives

Archives