Politics & Government

Update from State Sen. Steve Bieda

Sen. Bieda shares his thoughts and updates from Lansing.

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to send you the latest edition of my e-Newsletter. This e-Newsletter is a money-saving way for me to communicate with you and keep you informed about legislative activities. Below you will find information on upcoming events, legislation that has recently been passed by the Senate, as well as other news and updates.

Please feel free to distribute this information to others and contact my office with ideas about what we can do to better serve you. Communication with you is extremely important to me as I consider issues before the Michigan Senate.

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Thank you for allowing me to serve you in the Michigan Senate. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Starting a Business Training Workshop in Eastpointe:

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This course is designed for individuals who are considering self-employment, or who may be at the beginning stages of starting a business. Delivered in a workshop format, this introductory session helps aspiring entrepreneurs assess their abilities to lead and manage a company, as well as evaluate market and sales potential for their products/services. Start-up costs, financing options, and business planning are introduced, along with necessary steps to getting started.

The workshop will be held June 26, from 9 am - 12 noon at the Eastpointe City Hall, 23200 Gratiot Avenue, Eastpointe. To register call (586) 254-3551or visit www.misbtdc.org.

Small Business Administration Affordable Care Act Training Events:

Small businesses in Macomb and Oakland Counties are invited to join the Small Business Administration, Michigan District Office to learn the basics of the Affordable Care Act and what it means for your small business at one of the following training events:

Monday, June 24, 2013
9:00am - 11:00am
Macomb Community College - South Campus
K Building - Room 324
14500 E. 12 Mile Road
Warren, MI 48088

Monday, June 24, 2013
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Michigan First Credit Union
Community Room
27000 Evergreen Rd.
Lathrup Village, MI 48076

Marianne Markowitz, SBA Regional Administrator, and Jackie Garner, HHS Medicaid Consortium Administrator for Medicaid and Children’s Health Operations, will be presenting information regarding the Affordable Care Act. Gerald Moore, SBA Michigan District Director, and elected officials will also be on hand to answer your questions.

Space is limited! Please RSVP by June 19 to michigan@sba.gov, and include which session you wish to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Thompson at 313-226-6075 x 278.

‘America’s Favorite Park’ Campaign Offers $100,000 Recreation Grant:

Coca-Cola has launched its fourth annual promotion of parks nationwide through the “America’s Favorite Park” social networking contest. The contest is meant to encourage physical activity, serve as a friendly competition amongst parks and an opportunity to earn up to a $100,000 grant for recreation improvements.

Voting can be done in three ways:

  • Vote once a day at www.coke.com/parks.

  • Check in at a park using Foursquare, a location-based social networking website for mobile devices, and get up to 5 votes every day.

  • Log more than 20 minutes of physical activity through the MapMyFitness app for mobile devices, and get up to 10 votes every day.

The park with the most votes will win a $100,000 recreation grant from Coca-Cola and the title of “America’s Favorite Park.” Second- and third-place parks will win $50,000 and $25,000 grants, respectively. Another $15,000 grant will be awarded at random to a lucky park that comes in 4th to 25th on the leader board.

The Department of Natural Resources will be promoting the contest on Facebook and encourages fans to be active, vote often, and share with friends and family. Learn more about this campaign and the Fresh Air Fit program at www.michigan.gov/stateparks.

MEDC Seeks Proposals From Michigan Farmers Markets, Food Truck Startups:

The Farmers Market Grant Program will provide one-time grants between $10,000 and $50,000 to existing farmers markets that have been in operation for at least four years in Michigan. Projects for consideration include unique and innovative design elements, amenities for patrons and vendors, multi-use spaces, multi-modal transportation, marketing and signage. Projects that make markets more accessible to residents are also preferred.

Applicants must demonstrate they have commitments for a minimum of 50 percent in matching funds and that their projects will be completed by May 31, 2014. Projects that will be initiated within 60 days of executing a grant agreement and those with higher match dollars will be scored more favorably. The total amount available for the Farmers Market program is $200,000.

The Mobile Cuisine Startup Program is intended to expand the mobile cuisine, or food truck, industry throughout Michigan. The program will provide one-time grants of up to $10,000 to new food truck businesses or growing pre-existing businesses. Projects should offer easily accessible and unique food options to patrons in public spaces and contribute to the local economy by working with other local businesses and farms. The intent of this program is to assist with community and economic development by increasing pedestrian traffic in downtowns and traditional commercial cores.

Mobile Cuisine applicants must have a viable business plan, be registered to do business in Michigan and demonstrate their businesses will be operational by July 28, 2014. A minimum of 25 percent in matching funds is required; however, projects with a higher match will be scored more favorably. The total amount available for this program is $100,000.

Electronic submissions for both the Farmers Market and Mobile Cuisine RFPs are due by Monday, July 1, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. Hand-delivered or mailed submissions will not be accepted.

There will be a question/answer period regarding the application and questions will be accepted until Monday, June 17, 2013. Questions should be directed to contractsandgrants@michigan.org.

Responses to the Urban Farmers Market RFP questions will be posted atwww.MichiganAdvantage.org/Farmers-Market-2013-RFP by close of business on June 21, 2013. Answers to the Mobile Cuisine RFP questions will be posted at www.MichiganAdvantage.org/Mobile-Cuisine-2013-RFP by 3:00 p.m. on June 17, 2013. Awardees will be announced on or around July 28, 2013.

State Parks Recreation Passport:

The Recreation Passport is an easy, affordable way for residents to enjoy and support outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan. By checking “YES” for the $11 Recreation Passport ($5 for motorcycles) when renewing a license plate through the Secretary of State (by mail, kiosk, online at www.expresssos.com or at branch offices), Michigan motorists get access to state parks, recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, nonmotorized state trailhead parking and state boat launches. In addition, Recreation Passport holders can enjoy real savings at businesses and retailers that participate in the Passport Perks discount program. The Recreation Passport is valid until the next license plate renewal date. Nonresidents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($30.50 annual; $8.40 daily) at any state park or recreation area or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore.

Learn more about this creative way of sustaining Michigan’s outdoor recreation and natural resources at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport. For information on Passport Perks shopping discounts or how businesses and retailers can enroll in the program, visitwww.michigan.gov/passportperks.

Guide to Protecting Against the West Nile Virus:

My office has information available for protecting yourself and your family against the West Nile Virus. As the weather continues to heat up, we will be faced with more and more mosquitos which are the primary carriers of the virus. Seniors and children are especially at risk. Following the suggestions in this pamphlet can reduce your risk of infection.

Those seeking information on the West Nile Virus can contact my office to receive information by U.S. mail. Individuals seeking materials should provide their name, physical address and telephone number in their request. Please contact my office at SenSBieda@senate.michigan.govor P.O. Box 30036, Lansing, MI 48909. You can also contact my office by calling my toll free number at (866) 262-7309.

Legislative Update:

Below, please find information on some of the bills that are currently under consideration by the legislature. The full text of these bills can be found by visiting www.legislature.mi.gov.You can search for information by entering just the bill number.

HB 4177 corrects a clerical error in felony murder statute relating to vulnerable adult abuse to require proof of either first or second degree abuse, rather than both, for purposes of a felony murder conviction.

Next: Passed and given immediate effect by the Senate and returned to the Michigan House of Representatives where the bill was ordered enrolled. It was presented to Governor Snyder on May 23rd and was signed into law and filed with Secretary of State as Public Act 39 of 2013 on June 4, 2013.

SB 209 provides a Veterans Organizations Sales Tax exemption for fundraisers.

Next: Sent to the Michigan House of Representatives, where the bill was referred to the House Committee on Tax Policy.

SB 352 would amend the General Property Tax Act to exempt from taxation the homestead of a veteran who was permanently and totally disabled and individually unemployable, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This would replace the current exemption for the homestead of disabled veteran who is receiving assistance for specially adapted housing.

Next: Sent to the Michigan House of Representatives, where the bill was referred to the House Committee on Tax Policy.

Budget Finalization:

The legislature completed its work on the 2014 budget on June 4th of this year. Spending in this budget is up $527.4 million over last year, or roughly 1%. While this budget did contain some marginal improvements over last year, I voted against it because there are several areas of significant concern that were not addressed.

The most troubling concern I had with this budget was the diversion of funds from K-12 schools to other budget priorities. When Proposal A was passed, it designated the majority of funds collected from the sales tax to fund education. Historically that money has all gone to the School Aid Fund (SAF) to fund public K-12 education. Over the last three years the legislative majority has exploited a loophole in the law to divert school funds to other parts of the budget. This year they diverted $400 million, bringing the grand total of cuts and diversions over three years to $2 billion. While schools are technically getting an increase this year, most schools still are not funded at the rate they were before the cuts and diversions started. Also, the legislative majority made changes to the teacher retirement system; those changes required the state to pay more money into this system. Most of the “increase” to schools will be to pay this self-imposed retirement changes, and not to the classroom. The per-pupil funding increases that do remain fail to keep pace with inflation, and risk putting even more schools into financial deficit. The full details of the education budget can be found in HB 4228.

The General Fund Budget, HB 4328, did include some increases in funding for our local communities. Unfortunately that funding increase is roughly 1%, which is below the current rate of inflation. This means that cities will likely have to continue the current cut to vital services, police and firefighters, but may also have to make more cuts to keep their budgets balanced. I was also disappointed that while this budget expanded the Healthy Kids Dental program, which provides dental care to children living in poverty, that this extension did not include Macomb County. This program has greatly benefited the children in counties where it currently operates. I believe that vulnerable children living in our communities should also have access to it.

The table below details the amount of revenue sharing each local community is expected to receive compared to last year.

Sincerely,


Senator Steve Bieda
Senate District 9

This newsletter was provided by State. Sen Steve Bieda


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