OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. — Sen. Jim Runestad has issued an invitation to Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter to join him for a discussion on House Bill 5229.
“I have some major concerns about House Bill 5229 and what it could mean for hardworking taxpayers in Oakland County,” said Runestad, R-White Lake. “I would like to invite Mr. Coulter to join me in a forum discussion on what exactly the impact of this legislation would be for families in our county.”
House Bill 5229 would amend the Municipal Partnership Act to make it easier for local communities to form “joint endeavors” that place new projects on the ballot and to levy the taxes to pay for them.
“Under this bill, local governments could put a millage of up to 5 mills on your property taxes, all while avoiding the taxpayer protections found in our Constitution and preventing local communities from opting out,” Runestad said. “That means that certain communities in Oakland will not receive any of the supposed benefits of a potential regional transit but will still be forced to pay for projects in Detroit, Wayne County and Washtenaw County.”
Runestad noted that a forum discussion with the county executive would offer residents more information on the legislation and help inform the public about the impact this law would have.
HB 5229 has been referred to the House floor for a vote.
