Those of you who have followed my web postings and newsletters know that preserving the state Fire Protection Grants is a high priority for me. Fire Protection Grants are payments to the local governments that provide fire protection services for state-owned facilities. Locally, the city of Ypsilanti provides coverage for Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College, which qualifies us for that grant money.
This week, I was pleased to vote in favor of House Bill 5908, which would revise the disbursements made by the Local Community Stabilization Authority to provide $12 million annually for fire protection grants to local units that are home to state government and state university facilities, including the city and township of Ypsilanti. This bill has been sent to the Senate where it awaits further action from that chamber before being sent to the governor to be signed into law.
I worked hard to secure a $1.4 million increase from the governor’s recommendation in last year’s budget for the Fire Protection Grant Fund, and am still dedicated to increasing that amount in this year’s budget as well. If you have any questions about this fund and the money that the city or township of Ypsilanti receives, please contact my office.