26 MiMfg Magazine November 2021
MFG Voice
Mike Johnston Caroline Liethen David Worthams Vice President of Director of Environmental Director of Human Government Mike Johnston Affairs & Regulatory Dave Greco Policy David Resource Worthams Policy
Your MMA Government Affairs Team at Work
Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Aligns with Manufacturing Priorities
MMA President & CEO John Walsh joined Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Lt . Governor Garlin Gilchrist II for the signing of a Fiscal Year 2022 budget that advances several items that will support the growth and competitiveness of Michigan ’ s manufacturing industry .
More than $ 120 million is committed to help Michigan manufacturers access skilled talent to drive our state ’ s economic recovery .
The final budget dedicates $ 150 million to shore up the employerfunded Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund which was hard-hit by historic pandemic-related and fraudulent claims .
MMA successfully staved off fee increases through the Department of Environment , Great Lakes , and Energy ( EGLE ) by funding certain programs and staff through General Fund / General Purpose dollars .
MMA Drives Personal Property Tax with Two Bill Packages
Leading into the full phase-out of the manufacturing Personal Property Tax ( PPT ) in 2023 , MMA continues to work to ease the burden the tax places on manufacturers .
In the first package of bills , MMA is driving bipartisan legislation in the onerous process of filing exemptions with each municipality every year . The bills have the support of the Michigan Department of Treasury , local units of government and the business community . The House Tax Policy Committee has already started its review of the bills with MMA testimony on 11 / 3 / 21 . More action is expected this year .
In the second package , to avoid the administrative nightmare of tracking personal property such as laptops and monitors held by people working remotely , the Senate has approved a bill that would extend the legislative solution advanced by MMA last year . Senate Bill 698 ( Representative Jim Runestad , R-White Lake ) would extend the application of the solution to cover tax year 2022 . MMA is pushing for swift action to ensure the bill will take effect prior to “ tax day ,” 12 / 31 / 21 .
Senate Committee Advances Economic Development Incentive Bill
The Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee passed an MMAsupported package of bills sponsored by Senator Ken Horn ( R-Frankenmuth ) that would get Michigan back in the game to compete for jobs and capital investment with other states and nations .
The proposed Michigan Employment Opportunity Program is modeled after the former Good Jobs for Michigan program , which incentivized more than $ 6 billion in private investment and created almost 10,000 jobs before its sunset in 2019 .
Representatives Angela Witwer ( D-Delta Twp .) and Mark Tisdel ( R-Rochester Hills ) have introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives . 6
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