The Michigan Townships Association (MTA) announces its 2025-26 legislative priorities, following adoption of its policy platform by Association member township officials.
The MTA membership approved the Association’s platform last week at the MTA Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with its Annual Conference & Expo in Grand Rapids. These legislative priorities will guide MTA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of townships throughout the year.
“Michigan’s townships provide exemplary services and quality of life to millions of our state’s residents, and our Legislative Policy Platform outlines priorities to help safeguard and enhance their ability to continue to do so,” said Judy Allen, MTA director of government relations. “It also allows lawmakers and the public to see where we stand on a variety of key issues. We look forward to working with the Legislature and state policymakers to accomplish these goals.”
The policy platform outlines specific objectives within six broad categories—assessment and taxation, elections, environment and land use, intergovernmental relations, township operations, and transportation—and guides MTA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of townships throughout the year. Among MTA’s top priorities are preserving local authority on local zoning issues, guaranteeing statutory revenue sharing for all townships through a dedicated state revenue source, and requiring state assumption of local revenue replacement for property tax exemptions. The Association will also work for modernizing and increasing funding for primary and local roads as well as sewer, water and communications infrastructure, and advocating for state laws that allow township officials to solve local issues rather than a state-imposed one-size-fits-all approach, among other issues.
The full MTA Legislative Policy Platform is available here.
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The Michigan Townships Association advances local democracy by fostering township leadership and public policy essential for a strong and vibrant Michigan.