SENATE BILL No. 467

 

 

May 1, 2007, Introduced by Senator ALLEN and referred to the Committee on Commerce and Tourism.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 2004 PA 530, entitled

 

"Historical neighborhood tax increment finance authority act,"

 

by amending sections 2, 3, 15, 19, 20, 21, and 22 (MCL 125.2842,

 

125.2843, 125.2855, 125.2859, 125.2860, 125.2861, and 125.2862);

 

and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Advance" means a transfer of funds made by a municipality

 

to an authority or to another person on behalf of the authority in

 

anticipation of repayment by the authority. Evidence of the intent

 

to repay an advance may include, but is not limited to, an executed

 

agreement to repay, provisions contained in a tax increment

 

financing plan approved prior to the advance, or a resolution of

 

the authority or the municipality.


 

     (b) "Assessed value" means the taxable value as determined

 

under section 27a of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL

 

211.27a.

 

     (c) "Authority" means a historical neighborhood tax increment

 

finance authority created under this act.

 

     (d) "Board" means the governing body of an authority.

 

     (e) "Captured assessed value" means the amount in any 1 year

 

by which the current assessed value of the development area,

 

including the assessed value of property for which specific local

 

taxes are paid in lieu of property taxes as determined in section

 

3(d), exceeds the initial assessed value. The state tax commission

 

shall prescribe the method for calculating captured assessed value.

 

     (f) "Chief executive officer" means the mayor or city manager

 

of a city or the supervisor of a township.

 

     (g) "Development area" means that area described in section 5

 

to which a development plan is applicable that is located inside a

 

historic district.

 

     (h) "Development plan" means that information and those

 

requirements for a development area set forth in section 22.

 

     (i) "Development program" means the implementation of the

 

development plan.

 

     (j) "Fiscal year" means the fiscal year of the authority.

 

     (k) "Governing body" or "governing body of a municipality"

 

means the elected body of a municipality having legislative powers.

 

     (l) "Historic district" means that term as defined in section

 

1a of the local historic districts act, 1970 PA 169, MCL 399.201a.

 

     (m) "Housing" means privately owned housing or publicly owned


 

housing, individual or multifamily.

 

     (n) "Initial assessed value" means the assessed value of all

 

the taxable property within the boundaries of the development area

 

at the time the ordinance establishing the tax increment financing

 

plan is approved, as shown by the most recent assessment roll of

 

the municipality at the time the resolution is adopted. Property

 

exempt from taxation at the time of the determination of the

 

initial assessed value shall be included as zero. For the purpose

 

of determining initial assessed value, property for which a

 

specific local tax is paid in lieu of a property tax shall not be

 

considered to be property that is exempt from taxation. The initial

 

assessed value of property for which a specific local tax was paid

 

in lieu of a property tax shall be determined as provided in

 

section 3(d).

 

     (o) "Land use plan" means a plan prepared under section 1 of

 

the city and village zoning act, 1921 PA 207, MCL 125.581 former

 

1921 PA 207 or a site plan under the Michigan zoning enabling act,

 

2006 PA 110, MCL 125.3101 to 125.3702.

 

     (p) "Municipality" means a city or township in which a

 

historic district is located.

 

     (q) "Residential district" means an area of a municipality

 

zoned and used principally for residential housing.

 

     Sec. 3. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Operations" means office maintenance, including salaries

 

and expenses of employees, office supplies, consultation fees,

 

design costs, and other expenses incurred in the daily management

 

of the authority and planning of its activities.


 

     (b) "Parcel" means an identifiable unit of land that is

 

treated as separate for valuation or zoning purposes.

 

     (c) "Public facility" means housing, a street, plaza,

 

pedestrian mall, and any improvements to a street, plaza, or

 

pedestrian mall including street furniture and beautification,

 

park, parking facility, recreational facility, right of way,

 

structure, waterway, bridge, lake, pond, canal, utility line or

 

pipe, or building, including access routes designed and dedicated

 

to use by the public generally, or used by a public agency. Public

 

facility includes an improvement to a facility used by the public

 

or a public facility as those terms are defined in section 1 of

 

1966 PA 1, MCL 125.1351, if the improvement complies with the

 

barrier free design requirements of the state construction code

 

promulgated under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale single state

 

construction code act, 1972 PA 230, MCL 125.1501 to 125.1531.

 

     (d) "Specific local tax" means a tax levied under 1974 PA 198,

 

MCL 207.551 to 207.572, the commercial redevelopment act, 1978 PA

 

255, MCL 207.651 to 207.668, the technology park development act,

 

1984 PA 385, MCL 207.701 to 207.718, or 1953 PA 189, MCL 211.181 to

 

211.182, or the commercial rehabilitation act, 2005 PA 210, MCL

 

207.841 to 207.856. The initial assessed value or current assessed

 

value of property subject to a specific local tax shall be the

 

quotient of the specific local tax paid divided by the ad valorem

 

millage rate. The state tax commission shall prescribe the method

 

for calculating the initial assessed value and current assessed

 

value of property for which a specific local tax was paid in lieu

 

of a property tax.


 

     (e) "State fiscal year" means the annual period commencing

 

October 1 of each year.

 

     (f) "Tax increment revenues" means the amount of ad valorem

 

property taxes and specific local taxes attributable to the

 

application of the levy of all taxing jurisdictions upon the

 

captured assessed value of real and personal property in the

 

development area. Tax increment revenues do not include any of the

 

following:

 

     (i) Taxes under the state education tax act, 1993 PA 331, MCL

 

211.901 to 211.906.

 

     (ii) Taxes levied by local or intermediate school districts.

 

     (iii) Ad valorem property taxes attributable either to a portion

 

of the captured assessed value shared with taxing jurisdictions

 

within the jurisdictional area of the authority or to a portion of

 

value of property that may be excluded from captured assessed value

 

or specific local taxes attributable to the ad valorem property

 

taxes.

 

     (iv) Ad valorem property taxes excluded by the tax increment

 

financing plan of the authority from the determination of the

 

amount of tax increment revenues to be transmitted to the authority

 

or specific local taxes attributable to the ad valorem property

 

taxes.

 

     (v) Ad valorem property taxes exempted from capture under

 

section 17(5) or specific local taxes attributable to the ad

 

valorem property taxes.

 

     (vi) Ad valorem property taxes specifically levied for the

 

payment of principal and interest of obligations approved by the


 

electors or obligations pledging the unlimited taxing power of the

 

local governmental unit or specific taxes attributable to those ad

 

valorem property taxes.

 

     Sec. 15. The authority may borrow money and issue its

 

negotiable revenue bonds under the revenue bond act of 1933, 1933

 

PA 94, MCL 141.101 to 141.140. Revenue bonds issued by the

 

authority are not a debt of the municipality unless the

 

municipality by majority vote of the members of its governing body

 

pledges its full faith and credit to support the authority's

 

revenue bonds. Revenue bonds issued by the authority are never a

 

debt of the state.

 

     Sec. 19. (1) The municipality may by resolution of its

 

governing body and subject to voter approval authorize, issue, and

 

sell general obligation bonds subject to the limitations set forth

 

in this subsection to finance the development program of the tax

 

increment financing plan and shall pledge its full faith and credit

 

for the payment of the bonds. The municipality may pledge as

 

additional security for the bonds any money received by the

 

authority or the municipality under section 13. The bonds are

 

subject to the revised municipal finance act, 2001 PA 34, MCL

 

141.2101 to 141.2821. Before the municipality may authorize the

 

borrowing, the authority shall submit an estimate of the

 

anticipated tax increment revenues and other revenue available

 

under section 13 to be available for payment of principal and

 

interest on the bonds, to the governing body of the municipality.

 

This estimate shall be approved by the governing body of the

 

municipality by resolution adopted by majority vote of the members


 

of the governing body in the resolution authorizing the bonds. If

 

the governing body of the municipality adopts the resolution

 

authorizing the bonds, the estimate of the anticipated tax

 

increment revenues and other revenue available under section 13 to

 

be available for payment of principal and interest on the bonds

 

shall be conclusive for purposes of this section. The bonds issued

 

under this subsection shall be considered a single series for the

 

purposes of the revised municipal finance act, 2001 PA 34, MCL

 

141.2101 to 141.2821.

 

     (1) (2) By resolution of its governing body, the authority may

 

authorize, issue, and sell tax increment bonds subject to the

 

limitations set forth in this subsection to finance the development

 

program of the tax increment financing plan. The tax increment

 

bonds issued by the authority under this subsection shall pledge

 

solely the tax increment revenues of a development area in which

 

the project is located or a development area from which tax

 

increment revenues may be used for this project, or both. In

 

addition or in the alternative, the bonds issued by the authority

 

under this subsection may be secured by any other revenues

 

identified in section 13 as sources of financing for activities of

 

the authority that the authority shall specifically pledge in the

 

resolution. However, except as otherwise provided in this section,

 

the full faith and credit of the municipality shall not be pledged

 

to secure bonds issued under this subsection. The bond issue may

 

include a sum sufficient to pay interest on the tax increment bonds

 

until full development of tax increment revenues from the project

 

and also a sum to provide a reasonable reserve for payment of


 

principal and interest on the bonds. The resolution authorizing the

 

bonds shall create a lien on the tax increment revenues and other

 

revenues pledged by the resolution that shall be a statutory lien

 

and shall be a first lien subject only to liens previously created.

 

The resolution may provide the terms upon which additional bonds

 

may be issued of equal standing and parity of lien as to the tax

 

increment revenues and other revenues pledged under the resolution.

 

Bonds issued under this subsection that pledge revenue received

 

under section 14 for repayment of the bonds are subject to the

 

revised municipal finance act, 2001 PA 34, MCL 141.2101 to

 

141.2821.

 

     (2) The municipality, by majority vote of the members of its

 

governing body, may make a limited tax pledge to support the

 

authority's tax increment bonds or notes or, if authorized by the

 

voters of the municipality, may pledge its unlimited tax full faith

 

and credit for the payment of the principal of and interest on the

 

authority's tax increment bonds or notes.

 

     Sec. 20. (1) If a board decides to finance a project in a

 

development area by the use of revenue bonds as authorized in

 

section 15 or tax increment financing as authorized in sections 17,

 

18, and 19, it shall prepare a development plan.

 

     (2) The development plan shall contain all of the following:

 

     (a) The designation of boundaries of the development area in

 

relation to highways, streets, streams, or otherwise.

 

     (b) The location and extent of existing streets and other

 

public facilities within the development area, designating the

 

location, character, and extent of the categories of public and


 

private land uses then existing and proposed for the development

 

area, including residential, recreational, commercial, industrial,

 

educational, and other uses, and including a legal description of

 

the development area.

 

     (c) A description of existing improvements in the development

 

area to be demolished, repaired, or altered, a description of any

 

repairs and alterations, and an estimate of the time required for

 

completion.

 

     (d) The location, extent, character, and estimated cost of the

 

improvements including rehabilitation contemplated for the

 

development area and an estimate of the time required for

 

completion.

 

     (e) A statement of the construction or stages of construction

 

planned, and the estimated time of completion of each stage.

 

     (f) A description of any parts of the development area to be

 

left as open space and the use contemplated for the space.

 

     (g) A description of any portions of the development area that

 

the authority desires to sell, donate, exchange, or lease to or

 

from the municipality and the proposed terms.

 

     (h) A description of desired zoning changes and changes in

 

streets, street levels, intersections, or utilities.

 

     (i) An estimate of the cost of the development, a statement of

 

the proposed method of financing the development, and the ability

 

of the authority to arrange the financing.

 

     (j) Designation of the person or persons, natural or

 

corporate, to whom all or a portion of the development is to be

 

leased, sold, or conveyed in any manner and for whose benefit the


 

project is being undertaken if that information is available to the

 

authority.

 

     (k) The procedures for bidding for the leasing, purchasing, or

 

conveying in any manner of all or a portion of the development upon

 

its completion, if there is no express or implied agreement between

 

the authority and persons, natural or corporate, that all or a

 

portion of the development will be leased, sold, or conveyed in any

 

manner to those persons.

 

     (l) Estimates of the number of persons residing in the

 

development area and the number of families and individuals to be

 

displaced. If occupied residences are designated for acquisition

 

and clearance by the authority, a development plan shall include a

 

survey of the families and individuals to be displaced, including

 

their income and racial composition, a statistical description of

 

the housing supply in the community, including the number of

 

private and public units in existence or under construction, the

 

condition of those units in existence, the number of owner-occupied

 

and renter-occupied units, the annual rate of turnover of the

 

various types of housing and the range of rents and sale prices, an

 

estimate of the total demand for housing in the community, and the

 

estimated capacity of private and public housing available to

 

displaced families and individuals.

 

     (m) A plan for establishing priority for the relocation of

 

persons displaced by the development in any residential housing in

 

the development area.

 

     (n) Provision for the costs of relocating persons displaced by

 

the development and financial assistance and reimbursement of


 

expenses, including litigation expenses and expenses incident to

 

the transfer of title, in accordance with the standards and

 

provisions of the uniform relocation assistance and real property

 

acquisition policies act of 1970, Public Law 91-646, 84 Stat. 1894.

 

     (o) A plan for compliance with 1972 PA 227, MCL 213.321 to

 

213.332.

 

     (l) (p) The requirement that amendments to an approved

 

development plan or tax increment plan must be submitted by the

 

authority to the governing body for approval or rejection.

 

     (m) (q) Other material that the authority, local public

 

agency, or governing body considers pertinent.

 

     Sec. 21. (1) The governing body, before adoption of an

 

ordinance approving a development plan or tax increment financing

 

plan, shall hold a public hearing on the development plan. Notice

 

of the time and place of the hearing shall be given by publication

 

twice in a newspaper of general circulation designated by the

 

municipality, the first of which shall be not less than 20 days

 

before the date set for the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be

 

posted in at least 20 conspicuous and public places in the

 

development area not less than 20 days before the hearing. Notice

 

shall also be mailed to all property taxpayers of record in the

 

development area and to the governing body of each taxing

 

jurisdiction levying taxes that would be subject to capture if the

 

tax increment financing plan is approved not less than 20 days

 

before the hearing.

 

     (2) Notice of the time and place of hearing on a development

 

plan shall contain all of the following:


 

     (a) A description of the proposed development area in relation

 

to highways, streets, streams, or otherwise.

 

     (b) A statement that maps, plats, and a description of the

 

development plan, including the method of relocating families and

 

individuals, if any, who may be displaced from the area, are

 

available for public inspection at a place designated in the

 

notice.

 

     (c) A statement that all aspects of the development plan will

 

be open for discussion at the public hearing.

 

     (d) Other information that the governing body considers

 

appropriate.

 

     (3) At the time set for the hearing, the governing body shall

 

provide an opportunity for interested persons to speak and shall

 

receive and consider communications in writing. The hearing shall

 

provide the fullest opportunity for expression of opinion, for

 

argument on the merits, and for consideration of documentary

 

evidence pertinent to the development plan. The governing body

 

shall make and preserve a record of the public hearing, including

 

all data presented at the hearing.

 

     Sec. 22. The governing body after a public hearing on the

 

development plan or the tax increment financing plan, or both, with

 

notice given under section 21, shall determine whether the

 

development plan or tax increment financing plan constitutes a

 

public purpose. If it determines that the development plan or tax

 

increment financing plan constitutes a public purpose, it shall by

 

ordinance approve or reject the plan, or approve it with

 

modification, based on the following considerations:


 

     (a) The findings and recommendations of a development area

 

citizens council, if a development area citizens council was

 

formed.

 

     (a) (b) The plan meets the requirements under section 20(2).

 

     (b) (c) The proposed method of financing the development is

 

feasible and the authority has the ability to arrange the

 

financing.

 

     (c) (d) The development is reasonable and necessary to carry

 

out the purposes of this act.

 

     (d) (e) The land included within the development area to be

 

acquired is reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes of the

 

plan and of this act in an efficient and economically satisfactory

 

manner.

 

     (e) (f) The development plan is in reasonable accord with the

 

land use plan of the municipality.

 

     (f) (g) Public services, such as fire and police protection

 

and utilities, are or will be adequate to service the project area.

 

     (g) (h) Changes in zoning, streets, street levels,

 

intersections, and utilities are reasonably necessary for the

 

project and for the municipality.

 

     Enacting section 1. Sections 11, 12, 14, and 23 of the

 

historical neighborhood tax increment finance authority act, 2004

 

PA 530, MCL 125.2811, 125.2812, 125.2814, and 125.2863, are

 

repealed.