LATE ADOPTED - JUNE 25, 2002

Agenda Item No. 16

Introduced by the Finance Committee of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION OPPOSING REDUCTION IN STATE REVENUE SHARING

RESOLUTION #02-175

WHEREAS, county government provides many services in public and mental health as well as in law enforcement and judicial administration, many of which are required by state law; and

WHEREAS, the state legislature has continued to adopt laws which increase the responsibilities and costs of counties in providing these services; and

WHEREAS, state revenue sharing has been one historical source of funds provided in support of the county's obligations to provide such required services; and

WHEREAS, the need for these services is continually greater than the amount of funds available to provide them; and

WHEREAS, in 2001 state revenue sharing to counties was capped, thus eliminating any increase which would have previously been allowed by law; and

WHEREAS, in 2002 state revenue sharing was reduced as part of the Governor's Executive Order, resulting in a loss of more than $26,000 to Ingham County; and

WHEREAS, the Michigan Legislature is currently considering a proposal to further reduce revenue sharing; and

WHEREAS, if the current proposal for the funding of revenue sharing is adopted, Ingham County will lose more than $400,000 in 2003; and

WHEREAS, local governments are already contributing $110 million to help the State of Michigan solve the Fiscal Year 2003 budget problem; and

WHEREAS, the proposed reduction in revenue sharing puts an inequitable share of the burden of resolving the state's financial problems on counties and other local governments;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners is opposed to the current proposal for funding revenue sharing at a reduced level, and is opposed to any proposal which reduces revenue sharing from its historical levels;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, copies of this resolution are to be forwarded to all elected officials representing Ingham County in the Michigan Legislature.

FINANCE: Yeas: Grebner, Stid, Swope, Krause, Hertel, Schafer, Minter

Nays: None Absent: None Approved 6/19/02