The Michigan Municipal League and its partner organizations are introducing a new branding effort for the ongoing SaveMICity initiative during the League’s annual Convention in Grand Rapids this week.
The enhanced launch of this municipal finance reform effort specifically aims to educate Michigan citizens about the financial challenges facing the state’s communities, including its cities, counties, townships and villages.
The SaveMICity campaign will work to highlight the state of Michigan’s disinvestment in its communities—to the tune of $8.6 billion over the last decade— and why rededicating existing resources to local government is the best way to further encourage growth in Michigan’s economy.
“Michigan hasn’t been investing in its communities and that’s evident in our crumbling streets, cuts to fire and police protection, and ongoing struggle to pay for other crucial services,” said Dan Gilmartin, Michigan Municipal League Executive Director and CEO. “It’s clear Michigan’s system for funding municipalities is broken and doesn’t track with the economy. We must reform our system to invest in what matters most: our communities.”
With support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and numerous partner organizations, such as the Michigan Townships Association, Michigan Association of Counties, the Small Business Association of Michigan, and Michigan Municipal League Foundation, the renewed focus on educating the public and decision makers includes:
- A new three-minute animated video that creatively explains why and how Michigan’s system for funding its municipalities is broken, along with three shorter 30-second videos that drive home important messages for cities and villages across Michigan. The videos can be found here.
- Storytelling efforts on behalf of individual communities across Michigan that have continued to adjust to dwindling resources while offering quality services to residents.
- An improved savemicity.orgwebsite with fresh content and updated social media presence on Facebook and Twitter.
“In order to make our state thrive, we need to reform municipal finance,” Gilmartin said. “The SaveMICity campaign is dedicated to yielding results for all Michigan residents so they can continue to love where they live.”
