Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on May 13, 2004, to allow Downtown Development Authorities (DDA’s) to use tax receipts or borrowed money to subsidize wireless technology infrastructure, and to pay for marketing campaigns

The vote was 36 in favor, 0 opposed and 2 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 367 at Senate Journal 58)

Click here to view bill details.

this bill gives more power for the unelected boards to spend tax dollars and in this case maybe using our own tax dollars to infuence ballot questions

This allows a downtown development association to tax businesses, then use that money to advertise to promote more taxes. Is that something we want to have?

DDA boards are not elected and they are not required to be residents of municipalities. There is very little accountability considering they have control of tax dollars. The benchmark for "public good" should be raised, not lowered and allowable expenditures should be greatly restricted.

The DDAs use of tax dollars to market businesses is an abuse of the intent of TIF. Often there is no "public benefit", but only the use of public funds to subsidize selected businesses. Who is looking out for the taxpayer?