 From Site Selection magazine, November 2002
U.S. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
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Massachusetts
Environmental Bond Bill authorizes state environmental agencies to borrow to finance long-term projects and allocates $245 million for land protection. The total $707 million bill provides for improvements at state parks and forests and pollution prevention and cleanup.
Legislature restored $28 million grant to cities to help move from half- to full-day kindergarten. Acting Gov. Jane Swift had vetoed the funds. Swift signed an executive order creating a multi-agency council on state sustainability aimed at ensuring that state agencies consider the environmental consequences of their actions. The order requires that state agencies do their best to recycle use of toxic substances and reduce energy consumption.
Michigan
In August, the Michigan Legislature overrode a governor's veto for the first time in 25 years when the Senate and House both overwhelmingly restored $845 million in revenue-sharing payments for local governments. A new Film Advisory Commission within the Michigan Department of History, Arts & Libraries will assist the Michigan Film Office in promoting the state's film, television and video production industries and attracting media business.
Minnesota
Outgoing Gov. Jesse Ventura vetoed approximately one third of a $979 million borrowing bill for capital projects, including $4.2 million for renovation of the governor's residence.
Mississippi
In a special session called by Gov. Ronnie Musgrove in late July, the Mississippi Legislature gave its nod to a $31.5 million incentive package under the Advantage Mississippi Initiative for expansion of Laurel-based Howard Industries which will create 2,000 jobs. In June, a $68 million economic development package in support of the Nissan facility in Canton was approved. Vision 21, a 20-year highway plan that will quicken road construction in south Mississippi, was approved. The plan includes more than 160 miles of new or improved highways in the state's six southernmost counties.
Missouri
Omnibus legislation will provide new production and marketing options for Missouri's farmers and farmer-owned cooperatives. It creates a biodiesel incentive fund to spur development of soybean-based, renewable production facilities and revises the state's ethanol incentive fund to require facilities be at least 51 percent farmer-owned. Missouri's tax policy changes to require tax rates to be calculated for each subclass of real property: residential, commercial and agricultural. Intent is to balance tax rates of each type of property with each subclasses increase in assessed valuation.
Continue to: Montana . . .
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