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Commission declines to endorse state historic‑preservation tax‑credit bills
Summary
Battle Creek commissioners voted down a resolution that would have expressed the city's support for Michigan House Bills 45503 and 45504, with Vice Mayor Sophia and other commissioners saying the commission should not take positions on pending state legislation.
The Battle Creek City Commission on Dec. 16 voted against a resolution that would have expressed the city's support for Michigan House Bills 45503 and 45504, which staff said would enhance access to Michigan’s historic-preservation tax credit for properties in local historic districts.
Vice Mayor Sophia said she would oppose the resolution not because of the merits of the bills but because she did not believe the commission should become active in legislative debates. "I will be opposing this resolution tonight. It has nothing at all to do with the merits of House Bills 45503 or 45504," she said, adding that she believed it would set the wrong precedent for the commission to take positions on pending state legislation.
Another commissioner said a review of past resolutions showed the commission rarely took positions and agreed that adopting a legislative stance was inappropriate. The clerk called the vote and the chair announced that Resolution 286 "does not pass."
No further action on the bills was taken by the city during the meeting.
