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 [...]

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has scheduled work sessions for the county’s 2012 budget. In action Tuesday (October 4th), the board set Tuesday, October 18th at 3 p.m. for the first of two such special meetings.  The second session – if needed – will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, October 20th. [...]

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Tuesday evening (July 19th) joined his House colleagues in voting to pass the “Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011” (H.R. 2560), an innovative three-pronged approach to tackle our nation’s soaring debt and put our fiscal house back [...]

The Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees held a public budget hearing, adopted the college’s 2011-2012 operating budget, opened bids for the resurfacing of two parking lots, accepted gifts and grants (see separate release), appointed a college auditor, and conducted other business during its June 27th meeting held on the Dowagiac campus. After holding a [...]

The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education has adopted a General Fund Budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. The action came during a meeting Monday evening (June 20th) and followed a public hearing in which budget information was presented.  No citizens commented on the budget during the hearing. The proposed General [...]

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 [...]

A new budget is now in place for the City of Three Rivers for Fiscal Year 2011-12, which begins July 1st  – but it didn’t come easily. The budget – with total General Fund operating expenditures of $3,745,966 and tax levies totaling 20.1562 mills – was adopted by the Three Rivers City Commission Tuesday evening [...]

Park Township’s proposed budget for 2011-2012 will be the subject of a public hearing during the June meeting of the Park Township Board Wednesday evening (June 8th). Following the hearing, the board is expected to adopt the budget. The meeting at the Park Township Hall in Parkville is set to get underway at 7:30 p.m. [...]

The Three Rivers City Commission will conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2011-12 during its regular meeting Tuesday evening (June 7th). Scheduling of the hearing reflects the fact that the budget-making process underway in recent weeks, including special commission meetings on May 10th and 24th, is nearing an end. The [...]

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 [...]

The Three Rivers City Commission will focus again on the proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1st during a special meeting Tuesday evening (May 24th). The meeting is the second such session scheduled by the commission.  The first was held on May 10th and a third – if needed – is set [...]

Governor Rick Snyder and legislative leaders announced last week an agreement on spending targets in the state budget for the fiscal year that begins October 1st. In making the announcement last Thursday (May 19th), they emphasized that – while much work remains – the setting of spending targets at this point in the year is [...]

The following is a statement from House Democratic Leader Richard E. Hammel (D-Mt. Morris Township) on the budget agreement announced Thursday (May 19th) by the Governor and Republican legislative leaders: “After more than five months, the Governor and Republican leaders are merely beginning to listen to House Democrats and the people of Michigan, who know [...]

The proposed budget for the City of Three Rivers for Fiscal Year 2011-12 received attention for approximately two hours during a special meeting of the Three Rivers City Commission Tuesday evening (May 10th). Finance Director Cathy Lawson used a PowerPoint presentation to outline information about the spending plan that contains some significant cuts, including layoffs [...]

The Lockport Township Board has received a petition from persons opposed to the proposed Fisher Lake sewer project. Harry Tice presented the petition from “record owners of the land located in the proposed Fisher Lake sewer project area in Lockport Township” during the board’s regular monthly meeting Monday evening (May 9th).  The petition says that [...]

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 [...]

‘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 [...]

LANSING – In the recently released Department of Human Services budget, Senator Bruce Caswell has proposed language to protect the local Great Start Collaboratives, while reducing administrative overhead expenses.  Under his budget proposal, funding for local Great Start organizations throughout the state will see their funding held at current year levels and will also have [...]

The Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Board has accepted a proposed budget for the 2012 fiscal year and sent it on to the Three Rivers City Commission for approval. The spending plan – with revenues and expenditures balanced at $163,654 – was approved by the DDA Board during its April meeting Friday morning (April [...]

The Village of Constantine budget for 2011-2012 is now firmly in place following a 10-minute ‘emergency meeting’ of the Constantine Village Council Wednesday evening (March 30th). The special session was called because of the need for a two-thirds vote in favor of the budget, something that was not achieved when the spending plan was approved [...]