Host: Stephan Currie

Guest: Deena Bosworth of MAC

Topics: In a brief episode this week, MAC’s Podcast 83 team reviewed the state of play in Lansing on a variety of county issues, including a bid for statewide septic code, issues with a new marijuana wholesale tax and distribution of dollars used for substance abuse prevention.

Host Stephan Currie, who was traveling to the Upper Peninsula to visit several member counties, asked Deena Bosworth about a troubling report on marijuana taxes.

“There was a portion of some new money for roads coming from a marijuana tax, but we've got some problems there. What are the problems with the new marijuana tax money for roads?”

“The revenues are coming in, but they're coming in significantly lower than what was anticipated,” Bosworth replied. “So, the first quarter payment came in, and I want to say it was $30 million shy of what they actually anticipated.

“And that makes a big difference for our county road departments and our county road commissions, who are anticipating this huge influx of dollars,” she continued, “Now, whether that is just because it's the beginning of (tax collections), because there was so much controversy, or if it is something else. I don't really know. … (B)ut I do know that there is a shortfall, and our members need to keep their eyes on that.”

Bosworth and Currie also discussed:

• House Bills 5099-5100, which would streamline an existing process in which dollars are shared with counties for substance abuse work and with the Huntington Place convention facility in Wayne County. “(The bills) basically get away with the legislative sunset (expiration) and allows them to continue doing their thing at Huntington Place and continues our revenue for our substance use disorder programs through the liquor tax. And that's now into perpetuity, if that gets enacted, so that's a good sign.”
• Legislation to alter mental health treatment protocols, which MAC and the Community Mental Health Association oppose.
• A bid by UP legislators to create the peninsula’s own Natural Resources Commission: “(The hearing on legislation) was really interesting conversation,” Bosworth said. “Of course, DNR is opposed to it, but the proponents argued that things are just very unique in that peninsula, and they're not like the rest of the state.”

See video versions of all Podcast 83 episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@michiganassociationofcount2606

Visit the Podcast 83 page at www.micounties.org