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County lobbyist reports wins in Lansing, flags unfunded mandates and MEDC uncertainty
Summary
Graham Filler of McKelvey & Associates told commissioners the recently enacted state budget included wins for Kalamazoo County, credited local outreach, and warned that unfunded mandates — including MS4 stormwater compliance and proposed MDHHS procurement changes for PIHPs — could place heavy costs on local governments.
Graham Filler of McKelvey & Associates, the county’s Lansing lobbyist, updated the Board of Commissioners on Oct. 21 about the recently enacted state budget and ongoing policy matters that could affect county operations.
Filler said Kalamazoo County’s outreach and legislative relationships helped protect the county’s revenue‑sharing interests during a difficult budget process and that some relief for prosecutors and other county priorities were included in the final package. He encouraged commissioners to continue outreach, including a proposed “Kalamazoo Day” at the state capital to press future appropriations requests.
Unfunded mandates and agency reviews
Filler highlighted three policy risks for the county:
- MS4 stormwater…
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