By Rob South, WKAR
LANSING, MI –
The director of the Michigan Municipal League says Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero could use his campaign to call attention to the problems faced by the state's local governments. Dan Gilmartin says local municipal budgets are hurt the hardest by the state's current tax structure. As mayor of Lansing, Bernero has faced four years of declining revenue from the state. Gilmartin says Bernero could start the dialogue about how to strengthen Michigan's urban areas.
"Communities...have become so important with global workforces, with jobs and people able to go anywhere, having those strong places is extremely important," he says. "And that requires a long-term plan from the state government. Certainly having somebody in the race that understands that might be able to put some spotlight on the issue and get it talked about over the next several months."
Local municipalities like Lansing have seen declines in revenue from the state for the last decade.