Michigan Association of Police

MAP members will benefit immensely if proposed changes to Public Act 54 and the state Personal Property Tax are passed by the Legislature. Currently, when a collective bargaining agreement expires, Public Act 54 (PA 54) of 2011 freezes all wages and benefits of public employees and places the burden of health care, dental, vision, prescription or other insurance cost increases automatically upon those employees. The wage freeze also applies to step increases. House Bill 5097 (HB 5097) would exempt public employees who are eligible to participate in compulsory bargaining of labor disputes under Public Act 312 from provisions in PA 54 which restrict compensation and benefits after a contract expires and prohibit wage or benefit levels in a new contract from being retroactive. House Speaker Pro-tempore John Walsh is the primary sponsor of this bill, which would benefit police, fire fighters, dispatchers and EMT’s alike. Walsh told Michigan Capitol Confidential, a Mackinac Center for Public Policy news service, that legislators did not expect PA 54 to apply to public safety employees covered under Act 312. In fact, police and fire fighters were told by legislators it wouldn’t apply to them. Since the law conflicts with language in Act 312 of 1969, Walsh said the Legislature can choose between passing an amendment to the current law or litigation brought by public safety employee unions.

 

PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX FIX

A 10-bill bi-partisan package addresses last year’s Personal Property Tax (PPT) reform and will guarantee full replacement of local funding for public safety. Hundreds of Michigan communities rely on the PPT as a regular source of revenue to support essential services such as police and fire protection, road maintenance and infrastructure improvements. This package of Senate bills charges businesses for these services through a State Essential Services Assessment. The bills, if approved, would be part of the PPT reform ballot question scheduled to be placed before voters in August. “Legislators realize businesses have to pay their fair share. The current Personal Property Tax would result in a loss of several million dollars in revenue to big cities.” MAP members are asked to contact their legislators and encourage them to pass HB 5097 and Senate Bills 821-830, which will not only benefit public safety, but in the case of the PPT package, would help ailing communities collect much needed tax dollars.

Fred Timpner, Executive Director, MAP