Two West Michigan newspapers push local government mergers

Anyone reading the political tea leaves in relation to the coming budget battle in the state of Michigan knows that deep cuts are coming. The state is facing a $1.8 billion deficit, and newly minted Gov. Rick Snyder has said he will not approve or ask for any taxes to fill the gap. That means deep cuts.

In recognition of that, two west Michigan newspapers Wednesday published editorial endorsing merging of services amongst various local governments.

The Grand Rapids Press endorsed the idea of sharing services.

It has always made sense for neighboring governments to share services such as police and fire, emergency dispatch and water and sewer. In a day of decreasing tax revenues and climbing health care costs, that cooperation is a financial imperative. Those arrangements can improve services and relieve financial burdens for taxpayers.

The Press points out the successful integration of a 9-1-1 call center serving several of the large police agencies in Kent county. It also noted that discussions about a merger of fire departments was ongoing, but could be derailed by a state law which requires municipalities to pay the higher wage rates for the newly merged services. The county is also discussing shared water services.

In an editorial by Paula Holmes-Greeley in the Muskegon Chronicle she outlines current attempts to share costs in reference to several small school districts in Muskegon county. She then notes that two districts seriously considered merging in the late 80s, but decided against it.

But now, Holmes-Greeley says, it’s time to try again.

We know school loyalties are deeply held by generations. That’s what makes a proposed White Lake area school district so appealing. The two high schools could retain their names, their mascots — and their sports schedules. The same thing happens in districts across the state that have multiple high schools.

While the districts aren’t facing a building crisis, they are facing a funding crisis as are all schools in Michigan. State funding of K-12 education is uncertain at best and has required cuts in programs for the last several years. There may be a way for Whitehall and Montague to avoid more cuts through consolidation.

Consolidation won’t be easy and would require the creativity and determination of both communities to make it work.

The discussions about consolidation are likely to increase as Republicans running the legislature start taking up the proposed budget Snyder has promised will be introduced in February. That budget is expected to be a two-year budget plan, and it will see heavy cuts to reach the Constitutionally mandated balanced budget. The question is, will local units of government look at mergers, or look at how to carve costs from their own budgets as state revenue sharing dollars decrease?