Legislative and Advocacy Committee Activities

Michigan Downtown Association

Legislative and Advocacy Committee Activities

2011 – Present

2011 Membership Activity Survey –

46 responses with completion rate of 19.5%

Survey highlighted the variety of projects completed by Downtown development groups

Eight survey topics included: organizational structure and staffing, support to major development projects, events, marketing, business attraction, development facilitation, residential, planning and other

State Historic Tax Credit and Brownfield Credit Advocacy

Provided written testimony to support preservation of the State tax credits

Main Street Fairness

Joined coalition to eliminate 6% tax advantage to online non-bricks and mortar businesses

Personal Property Tax Elimination

Joined Replace Don’t Erase Coalition

Requested MDA membership to contact their State legislators on this issue and provided talking points

Provided MDA concerns regarding proposed legislation to the coalition to be included in their lobbying effort

Provided written testimony to the Senate Finance Committee and Executive administration on concerns

Sent survey to membership regarding PPT collection for DDAs and shared survey results in lobbying efforts

Provided PPT materials and update to MDA member in regards to bond rating negotiations

Downtown District Definition

Conducted research on creating a term to define what constitutes a Downtown

Reviewed multiple drafts and surveyed MDA board members

MDA Board of Director’s ratified Downtown district definition at Board of Directors retreat in January 2013

Zoo and DIA Tax Capture

Surveyed membership to obtain listing of millages collected by various DDAs

Wrote Letter to the Editor piece on issue that ran in Detroit dailies

Provided verbal and written testimony to House Standing Committee on Local Government

Provided verbal testimony to House Committee on Tax Policy

Tax Capture Opt Out Issue

Met with Governor’s Office of Urban and Metro Affairs on issue

Committee hosted special meeting of the MDA Board of Directors to create a work plan

Hired Strategic Communications Solutions as the MDAs first professional lobbying firm

Issued a Legislative Alert to the MDA membership to contact their legislators on this issue and its dire impacts on Downtowns

Survey demonstrating impact of Downtown management organizations was distributed to MDA membership

Legislative Alert distributed to Membership

Legislative and Advocacy Committee members and MDA lobbying firm attended multiple State House Work Group bill writing meetings with Rep. Eileen Kowall

Committee Membership

Keith Carey – Charlevoix (2012 - 2013)

Jay Fowler – Grand Rapids (2010 – Present, Chair 2011)

Jennifer Kibby – Allen Park (2012 – Present)

Geoff Moffat – Middleville (2010 - 2011)

Arthur Mullen – Mount Clemens, Van Buren Township (2011 - Present, Chair 2012 – Present)

Patricia Rayl – Blissfield (2014 – Present)