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Michigan Association of Counties updates Barry County commissioners on revenue sharing, courts and road funding
Summary
Steve Curry, executive director of the Michigan Association of Counties, briefed the Barry County Board of Commissioners on MAC’s priorities including a $30 million revenue sharing increase, trial court funding through 2026, and a proposed road funding package that would shift sales tax at the pump to a gas tax.
Steve Curry, executive director of the Michigan Association of Counties, told the Barry County Board of Commissioners on March 18 that MAC is focusing on county revenue sharing, court funding and a major road-funding package during the current legislative session.
Curry said the legislature approved roughly $30,000,000 in additional county revenue sharing last year and that MAC is now pursuing legislation to create a revenue-sharing trust fund to protect those dollars from being appropriated away in future budgets. “We’re arming you with information to go to your elected officials and advocate for government back in their districts,” Curry said.
He told commissioners that trial court funding provisions were extended to 2026 and that, without those fee extensions, counties statewide would have faced roughly $30,000,000 in additional costs to operate courts. Curry also cited a $75,000,000 backfill last session to reimburse local governments after a partial Personal Property Tax exemption for small businesses was implemented.
On roads, Curry said the House road package would shift the sales tax collected at the pump into a gas tax and redistribute substantial new dollars to counties. “There’s enough funding coming to locals in that package where we are supportive,” he said, while noting concerns about the sales-tax change to the general fund that funds revenue sharing.
Curry summarized other MAC priorities including pursuing a federal Medicaid waiver that would preserve health benefits for people charged but not yet convicted and backing efforts to secure a longer-term, dedicated solution for court funding before the 2026 sunset. He told the board MAC provides educational programs and cooperative services to counties and encouraged participation in MAC committees and upcoming conferences.
Commissioners thanked Curry for the briefing and invited him to the MAC legislative conference in Lansing in early April.
The presentation was for information; no formal county action resulted from Curry’s appearance.
