HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2013.05.09 - 20801REPORT (misci 13029) May 9, 2013
BY: GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE — Christine Long, Chairperson
RE: MR #13029 — BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — OPPOSITION TO WITHHOLDING OF
DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FUNDS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN WAYNE
COUNTY
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The General Government Committee, having considered the above titled resolution on
April 22, 2013 hereby recommends that the resolution be amended to insert after the 7th
WHEREAS paragraph the following three WHEREAS paragraphs and to amend the first BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED paragraph as shown.
WHEREAS, House Bills 4458-4464 have been introduced and are under
consideration to amend Michigan law to prohibit the capturing of tax revenues
generated under the Zoological Authorities Act or the Art Institute Authorities Act by
Tax Increment Financing Authorities (TIFAs); and
WHEREAS, House Bills 4458-4464 were introduced on a bi-partisan basis by
legislators from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties; and
WHEREAS, support for House Bills 4458-4464 have been indicated by
numerous organizations, including the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, the
Michigan Association of Counties, the Michigan Downtown Association and
representatives of the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Zoological Society.
Be IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners hereby urges Governor Rick Snyder and members of the Michigan
legislature to adopt legislation House Bills 4458-4464 and to expressly ban the
withholding of tax revenues from the voters intended purposes by local
governmentsi,
Chairperson, on behalf of the General Government Committee, I move the acceptance of the
foregoing report.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Motion carried on a roll call vote with Gershenson voting no.
MISCELLANIOUS RESOLUTION #13029
By: Commissioner Shelley Goodman Taub, District #12
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS-OPPOSITION TO WITHHOLDING OF DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
FUNDS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN WAYNE COUNTY
WHEREAS, on August 5, 2008 voters in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties overwhelmingly passed a
zoo tax that was intended specifically to provide long-term sustainable funding to supplement earned
revenue and philanthropic support for the Detroit Zoological Society; and
WHEREAS, published reports indicate that many Wayne County communities have withheld more than
$756,000 of the zoo's revenues to spend on their downtown projects ; and
WHEREAS, tax revenues approved by the voters in Wayne County for the Detroit Zoological Society have
been diverted to downtown development projects such as sidewalks, decorative pavers and streetlights;
WHEREAS, published reports also indicate these Wayne County communities are considering
withholding funds from the newly approved Detroit Institute of Arts tax; and
WHEREAS, two Attorney General advisory opinions have indicated the practice of withholding these
funds from the Detroit Zoological Society is illegal; and
WHEREAS, communities in Oakland and Macomb Counties are not participating in the withholding of
funds from the Detroit Zoological Society; and
WHEREAS, representatives of Oakland and Macomb Counties who administer funds for the Detroit
Zoological Society have expressed their opposition to the withholding of these funds; and
NOW THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
condemns the practice of local communities withholding tax revenues intended for the Detroit Zoo and
urges all available legal steps be taken to end this practice and require local communities to reimburse
the Zoo Society;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby urges Governor Rick
Snyder and members of Michigan legislature to adopt legislation to expressly ban the withholding of tax
revenues from the voters intended purposes by local governments;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward
copies of this adopted resolution to Governor Rick Snyder. the Oakland County delegation to the
Michigan Legislature, the Michigan Association of Counties; the Detroit Zoological Society, the Oakland
County representatives on the Detroit Institute of Arts Authority, the Wayne County Treasurer, local
governments who are withholding Zoo revenues and the Oakland County legislative lobbyists.
, A
Commissioner SI(efkey Goodman Taub
District #12
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Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
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Resolution #13029 February 7, 2013
The Vice-Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.
Resolution #13029 May 9, 2013
Moved by Long supported by Woodward the resolution be adopted.
Moved by Long supported by Woodward the General Government Committee Report be accepted.
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the report was accepted.
Moved by Long supported by Woodward the resolution be amended to coincide with the recommendation
in the General Government Committee Report.
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the amendment carried.
Vote on resolution, as amended:
AYES: Gingell, Gosselin, Hatchett, Hoffman, Jackson, Long, Matis, McGillivray, Middleton,
Quarles, Runestad, Scott, Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack, Bosnic, Crawford, Dwyer. (19)
NAYS: Gershenson. (1)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolution, as amended, was adopted.
CFV1 A
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on May 9, 2013,
with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at
Pontiac, Michigan this 9th day of May, 2013.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County