Members of the budget committee of Constantine Village Council itemized a proposal package, which has a March 31st deadline, at a third committee meeting held Tuesday (March 15th). The meeting was also attended by Village Manager Mark Honeysett, Village President MacKenzie Strawser, and Village Clerk Ruth Strawser. A  public hearing needs to be held, with [...]

The potential impact of the state budget unveiled by Governor Rick Snyder last month was evident during the Three Rivers City Commission meeting Tuesday evening (March 1st) as the commission dealt with a proposed resolution to oppose Senate Bill 34 which would eliminate all personal property taxes. In a brief memo accompanying the resolution, City [...]

‘Rescue the Zoo’ fundraising efforts are underway in response to indications that City of Three Rivers budget constraints may severely limit or even close the Scidmore Park Petting Zoo in the new fiscal year that begins July 1st. Zookeeper Clarissa Myers is actively involved in the campaign to generate pledges to demonstrate private support for [...]

Frustration and concern were evident during the May meeting of the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Thursday morning (May 20th) as the organization’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year and its associated millage were discussed.

A new budget for the Village of Constantine is in place for the start of the 2011-2012 fiscal year on April 1st. The Constantine Village Council adopted the spending plan on a 4-to-3 vote during a special meeting Monday evening (March 28th). Manager Mark Honeysett said the departure of Rexam and the anticipated loss of [...]

Proposed budget cuts that would trim funding for preschool education in Michigan have been in the news in recent days.

The proposed Fiscal Year 2011-12 Budget for the City of Three Rivers will be in the spotlight during a special meeting of the Three Rivers City Commission Tuesday evening (May 10th), the first of two – possibly three – budget meetings this month.  The commission will hear public comment and review the proposed budget during [...]

$43,923. That’s the amount of revenue sharing the Village of Constantine stands to lose under the proposed state budget for the upcoming fiscal year unveiled by Governor Rick Snyder last Thursday. State Representative Matt Lori, a resident of the Constantine area, reported the figure while addressing the Constantine Village Council Monday evening (February 21st). Regarding [...]

“The Perfect Storm” is the title Superintendent Roger Rathburn used in presenting “A Report on Budget and Negotiations” during the Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education meeting Monday evening (October 6th). Rathburn discussed declining student enrollment, declining fund equity, rising health care costs, wage increases, the state retirement fund, the nation’s unstable economy, and [...]

It appears the City of Three Rivers will continue to have a Code Enforcement Officer in the new budget year that begins July 1st, retain its Petting Zoo, and, perhaps, lessen the impact of proposed cuts in the police department. That’s the situation following a special meeting of the Three Rivers City Commission Tuesday evening [...]

Julie Mack’s latest opinion column – published Saturday (October 10th) in the Kalamazoo Gazette – offers some strong criticism of the Michigan Legislature’s handling of the state budget.  In it, she mentions “clueless and inept leadership” and “ideological foxholes” and cites a need for “pragmatic problem-solving.”  There’s also criticism of Governor Granholm for “a lack [...]

State Rep. Matt Lori will serve on a bipartisan House committee to study a proposal to consolidate public employee health care plans. The controversial plan has the potential to save taxpayers an estimated $900 million, but has been strongly opposed by unions and teacher groups.

An editorial in the June 12th edition of the Kalamazoo Gazette – headlined “$2 billion is too much” – suggested that “Michigan must find ways to cut prison spending.”  It noted that “The 2012 general fund budget lawmakers passed last month in Lansing allots just under $2 billion for corrections – not much of a [...]

The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education meeting Monday evening (January 11th) brought some encouraging news as Financial Supervisor Dorothy Woodbury and Superintendent Roger Rathburn provided the latest “budget update” for the 2009-2010 year.

The Three Rivers City Commission has approved a variety of cuts in the budget for Fiscal Year 2009-2010 totaling $83,000.

The Constantine Village Council has scheduled a ‘budget workshop’ for Saturday, February 19th, at 10 a.m. Agreement to hold the special meeting was the end point of budget-related conversation during the council’s regular meeting Monday evening (February 7th) as village officials look toward getting the spending plan for the next fiscal year in place by [...]

State Rep. Matt Lori provided a brief legislative update during the March meeting of the Lockport Township Board Monday evening (March 8th) and the news was not very encouraging. Lori, a Constantine Republican, said he started telling townships three or four months ago that revenue sharing ought to be safe in the budget-making process currently [...]

A proposed budget for 2010 that would eliminate ten jobs to help trim nearly $556,000 from spending was the subject of a public hearing during Tuesday’s (November 17th) meeting of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Five people addressed the board in the course of the 12-minute hearing.  Among them was Maury Kaercher, director [...]

Officer Holly Cerny, Constantine Police Department’s school liaison, has her job on the line. Cerny’s job is effectively eliminated in several 2011-2012 budget balancing proposals by the Constantine Village Council. A final budget needs to be voted in by council and submitted to the state by the end of the month. “All three budget proposals cut the school liaison [...]

Michigan’s Legislature made significant reforms in the first part the session this year to balance its budget and bring state spending under control. We had to make difficult decisions on what cuts were necessary to make long-term change to Michigan. Now that Michigan’s spending is being addressed, attention turns to the federal government, which barely [...]