Two related stories in the past week deserve more traction: The upcoming report by Peter Hammer about the misconduct of the MI Department of Treasury relative to the Flint Water Crisis, and the report from the Michigan Municipal League about the underfunding of Michigan cities.
Please go take a look at them when you have a moment; they’re both important analyses of the deeper, systemic problems that have led to the catastrophes affecting many Michigan cities during the Snyder administration.
From Hammer’s report, quoted in the Detroit Free Press, “Professor: Blame Treasury, not just DEQ, in Flint water mess”:
- Flint was so broke at the time of the crisis it didn't have the money to pay for needed improvements to the Flint Water Treatment Plant in order to safely put the plant into operation to start treating water from the Flint River. Though estimates of the amount of investment needed in the plant were pegged at $69 million in 2011 and at $25 million in 2013, it appears only about $8 million was spent on the plant before it started treating Flint River water in April 2014.
- Flint's financial crisis was largely state-made: From 2006 — the last year Flint ran a budget surplus — to the 2012 fiscal year, when it was placed under state receivership, state revenue sharing to Flint fell 61%, from $20 million to $7.9 million. [emphasis added]
...
Hammer said the ultimate decision on whether Flint would join the KWA was not the City Council's or the EM's, but the Treasury Department's. Dillon rejected an engineering report he commissioned that said it would be more costly for Flint to go with KWA than to stay with Detroit, then deferred to the DEQ, which did not have primary expertise in financial analysis.
Then take a look at this follow-up report in M-Live from the Michigan Municipal League about the impact of reduced revenue sharing on Michigan cities and towns, “State revenue sharing system is 'broken,' city leaders say”:
"This isn't a Jackson problem, it is a statewide problem," said Anthony Minghine, associate executive director of the MML. "The system is broken.
"The state has been taking those dollars, that were supposed to be directed to local government, and using them to balance the state budget. In total, right now when you look at the amount that was supposed to flow to cities, villages, townships and counties, it's $7.5 billion."
[See also; The initiative's website is savemicity.org for further information.]
This is why we haven’t been able to have nice things in Michigan under Snyder’s tenure. The pillagers are holding the reins. (I do not exempt Andy Dillon, DINO, from my scorn either, to be sure.)
For those of you who are interested in the outcome of the Congressional race in MI-6, please check out this post of mine from yesterday: Let’s Help Elect Paul Clements in MI-6! Daily Kos Weekend of Action, Sat. 8/27 and Sun. 8/28 We’re planning canvassing AND two associated meetups, near Holland and in Kalamazoo, respectively. Now’s the time—and together we can make a difference!
Please help us build this weekly Michigan thread so that it includes any information relevant to turning MI Blue again that you would like me to highlight. MI contributors are always welcome! You can reach me through kosmail at peregrine kate. Or say hi through email here: peregrinekate@gmail.com And please follow me on Twitter @peregrinekate
Please feel free to drop in on ANY State Open Thread! So far, we have these regulars:
Colorado: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Mountain
Michigan: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Eastern [though likely to change to Thursdays]
North Carolina: Sundays, 1:00 PM Eastern