TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Oct. 2, 2023 — The Protecting MI Pension Grant Program, established in the fiscal 2023 state budget, recently announced awards to various local governments and municipal entities. The Benzie County Road Commission will receive nearly $500,000 to shore up its pension system. State Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) issued the following statement in support of the award:
“As a former GT county commissioner who worked hard to stabilize our pension system, I deeply appreciate the importance of this topic and support our local governments in honoring their commitments to their current and former employees. Every Michigander deserves a secure and dignified retirement, especially those who made a career of serving their communities. When rising cost of living and longer life expectancy were draining municipal retirement systems, the Legislature worked in a bipartisan fashion to address the issue. That’s why I proudly applaud this grant.”