Northville, Plymouth Leaders Worried About PPT Revenue Loss

Cities expected to feel effects of personal property tax phase-out beginning in 2014.

Plymouth and Northville could feel the pinch of lost revenue from the phased-out elimination of the Personal Property Tax, leaders from both cities said Monday during a joint meeting in Northville between the municipalities' leadership and state legislators.  In Michigan, the PPT refers to a tax on commercial and industrial equipment and furniture that is captured by municipalities. Gov. Rick Snyder signed a lame-duck session bill in 2012 to repeal the PPT over 10 years, but the law will take effect for small businesses—which constitute much of Plymouth and Northville's respective business bases—in 2014. The phase-out begins in 2016 for larger manufacturers. By repealing the tax, towns such as Plymouth and Northville are left wondering how…

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Northville, Plymouth City Officials to Hold Joint Meeting With Colbeck, Heise

City officials to meet 6:30 p.m. Monday at Northville City Hall.

City officials from Plymouth and Northville will get a face-to-face meeting Monday with state legislators representing the community. Rep. Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth, and Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, represent both Plymouth and Northville. The meeting, set for 6:30 p.m. Monday at Northville City Hall, is the second such joint meeting between the cities and their shared representatives. Plymouth hosted Colbeck and Heise in 2012, where the parties discussed the benefits of shared services between communities. 

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Sen. Patrick Colbeck Offers Office Hours Feb. 14 in Plymouth

Colbeck to meet with constituents Feb. 14 colat Plymouth District Library.

Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, has invited the public to his office hours 7-8 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Plymouth District Library in Plymouth.  Colbeck will be on hand to answer questions and respond to concerns any residents of his district may have, according to a news release from Colbeck's office. No appointment is necessary, as the office hours will be an opportunity for local residents to meet with their state senator to address issues related to state government.  For more information or to contact Colbeck, visit www.senatorpatrickcolbeck.com or call 734-335-0673.

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Plymouth Pastor Delivers Invocation Before State Senate Session

Brad Cannon is pastor at Solid Rock Bible Church in Plymouth.

Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, welcomes Pastor Brad Cannon, left, to the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing this week. Cannon, who delivered the invocation before a Senate session, is the pastor at Solid Rock Bible Church in Plymouth. Colbeck represents the 7th State Senate district, which includes Plymouth, Plymouth Township, Canton Township, Northville and Northville Township. — Submitted by Sen. Patrick Colbeck's office

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State Sen. Patrick Colbeck: It's Time to Come Together

State Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton) urges unity in op-ed for Patch.

In the wake of the 2012 General Election, there have been many calls for our state and our nation to come together in a renewed spirit of bi-partisanship.  For all of us who attest to the wisdom in the phrase “united we stand, divided we fall,” it is clear that we all need to come together. We have a simple question to answer before this goal can become a reality, though.  What are we to unify behind?    Shall we unify behind an individual?  How about a single political party?  As a student of history, I would recommend that we avoid either of these approaches as they tend not to end well.  In their stead, though, I would submit that the best choice would be to unify behind the core principles that all of us have unified behind since our …

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Letter to the Editor

State Sen. Colbeck: The Truth About Proposal 4 in Michigan

In this Letter to the Editor, Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton) writes about what he says are misleading ads about Proposal 4.

- Submitted by the Office of State Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton), who represents Northville. We’ve all seen the ads claiming all of the wonderful benefits that passage that Proposal 4 would yield. They say that if Proposal 4 passes, the state would be able to provide training for in-home care workers, create a registry of workers who pass background checks and provide financial services to patients. Here’s what you are not being told. We can do all of these wonderful things RIGHT NOW! In 2004, the Michigan Quality Community Care Council (MQCCC) was formed to do just that. In 2005, the MQCCC recognized the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) as the bargaining union for home healthcare aides. These aides are typically family …

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Gov. Snyder Signs Colbeck Bill Expanding Cyber Schools in Michigan

The bill was signed into law on Tuesday.

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Letter to the Editor

Sen. Colbeck: State Should Lift Cap on Charter and Cyber Schools

Removing the caps on cyber and charter schools "incentivizes all schools to provide excellent education services or risk the loss of per pupil funding from the students that choose to be educated elsewhere," Colbeck writes.

- The following statement was submitted by the office of state Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton). He sponsored a bill in the state senate to lift the cap on cyber schools. Michigan is close to joining the 21st century by passing a bill to lift the cap on the number of cyber schools authorized in the state. Over 10,000 students and their parents have applied to the two existing cyber schools, yet state law limits the total number of enrollments to 2,000 students – so long as 600 of them are documented dropouts. Detractors of lifting the caps on cyber schools have resorted to a simple strategy – fear. They cite fears of lack of oversight. They cite fears that these schools are “unproven”. They cite fears that kids will not have proper …

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ConcernedParent

10:34 am on Sunday, May 13, 2012

Debi, we can also look at the failures of online and charter schools! The fact is that we do not need an expansion of the cyber or charter school system in NORTHVILLE! What we need is a return of the funding that was stolen from the K-12 Fund last year. We need to be able to fund our public schools properly. We need less than 30 children in an elementary classroom. We need not to lay off our …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Sen. Colbeck: In 2012, Focus on the Good That People Do For Others

State Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton) reflects on a recent experience at the Veterinary Emergency Service in Plymouth.

State Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton) represents Plymouth city and township, Canton and part of Northville city and all of Northville township. Dear Editor: The holidays are often a time of joy and good tidings as friends and family get together to share the spirit of the season. This past holiday was indeed a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of my first year as a Michigan State Senator. I found that it was very easy to get distracted from what is truly important in life as I ran from meeting to meeting or switched from phone call to phone call. In order to keep me focused throughout the year on what is really important in this hectic environment, I posted a plaque with the following reminder in the entrance of my office:  “Finally…

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Michigan Senate Approves More 'Cyber Schools'

Vote also removes other limits; still needs approval from House of Representatives before going before Gov. Rick Snyder.

A package of education bills sponsored by Michigan Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, got a green light from the Senate, according to a statement released by Colbeck's office Thursday afternoon. Senate Bill 619, which lifts the cap on cyber schools for Michigan students in kindergarten through 12th grade was approved by the Senate but must also be approved by the House of Representatives before going to Gov. Rick Snyder to be signed. While Senate Bill 619 removes restrictions on cyber schools statewide But the measure could cost the state more, according to a non-partisan analysis of the bill submitted to the legislature on Oct. 6. That report indicates that online classes could attract students who never attended public schools or have …

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Herb Helzer

4:28 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011

Sorry, that was a 6-3 vote, not 8-1.   more ›