SENATE BILL No. 971

 

 

December 6, 2007, Introduced by Senators CLARKE, ALLEN, SANBORN, KUIPERS, GILBERT, RICHARDVILLE, BIRKHOLZ, HUNTER, STAMAS, BROWN, HARDIMAN, KAHN, GEORGE, CLARK-COLEMAN, PAPPAGEORGE, BARCIA, JACOBS, VAN WOERKOM, ANDERSON, THOMAS and SCOTT and referred to the Committee on Commerce and Tourism.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1996 PA 376, entitled

 

"Michigan renaissance zone act,"

 

by amending sections 3, 9, and 10 (MCL 125.2683, 125.2689, and

 

125.2690), section 3 as amended by 2006 PA 304 and section 10 as

 

amended by 2005 PA 164, and by adding section 8g.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 3. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Agricultural processing facility" means 1 or more

 

facilities or operations that transform, package, sort, or grade

 

livestock or livestock products, agricultural commodities, or

 

plants or plant products, excluding forest products, into goods

 

that are used for intermediate or final consumption including goods

 

for nonfood use, and surrounding property.

 

     (b) "Board" means the state administrative board created in

 

1921 PA 2, MCL 17.1 to 17.3.


 

     (c) "Development plan" means a written plan that addresses the

 

criteria in section 7 and includes all of the following:

 

     (i) A map of the proposed renaissance zone that indicates the

 

geographic boundaries, the total area, and the present use and

 

conditions generally of the land and structures within those

 

boundaries.

 

     (ii) Evidence of community support and commitment from

 

residential and business interests.

 

     (iii) A description of the methods proposed to increase economic

 

opportunity and expansion, facilitate infrastructure improvement,

 

and identify job training opportunities.

 

     (iv) Current social, economic, and demographic characteristics

 

of the proposed renaissance zone and anticipated improvements in

 

education, health, human services, public safety, and employment if

 

the renaissance zone is created.

 

     (v) Any other information required by the board.

 

     (d) "Elected county executive" means the elected county

 

executive in a county organized under 1966 PA 293, MCL 45.501 to

 

45.521, or 1973 PA 139, MCL 45.551 to 45.573.

 

     (e) "Forest products processing facility" means 1 or more

 

facilities or operations that transform, package, sort, recycle, or

 

grade forest or paper products into goods that are used for

 

intermediate or final use or consumption or for the creation of

 

biomass or alternative fuels through the utilization of forest

 

products or forest residue, and surrounding property. Forest

 

products processing facility does not include an existing facility

 

or operation that is located in this state that relocates to a


 

renaissance zone for a forest products processing facility. Forest

 

products processing facility does not include a facility or

 

operation that engages primarily in retail sales.

 

     (f) "Local governmental unit" means a county, city, village,

 

or township.

 

     (g) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation,

 

association, limited liability company, governmental entity, or

 

other legal entity.

 

     (h) "Qualified local governmental unit" means either of the

 

following:

 

     (i) A county.

 

     (ii) A city, village, or township that contains an eligible

 

distressed area as defined in section 11 of the state housing

 

development authority act of 1966, 1966 PA 346, MCL 125.1411.

 

     (i) "Qualified retail business" means 1 or more businesses

 

that primarily sell goods to customers at retail. Qualified retail

 

business includes restaurants. Qualified retail business does not

 

include any of the following:

 

     (i) An adult entertainment business. As used in this

 

subparagraph, "adult entertainment business" means 1 or both of the

 

following:

 

     (A) A striptease club or pornographic movie theater whose

 

business is the commercial sale, dissemination, or distribution of

 

sexually explicit material, shows, or other exhibitions.

 

     (B) An adult bookstore or adult video store in which 25% or

 

more of its stock-in-trade, books, magazines, and films for sale,

 

exhibition, or viewing on-premises are sexually explicit material.


 

     (ii) A facility or operation that is a licensee and has a

 

topless activity permit under the Michigan liquor control code of

 

1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1101 to 436.2303.

 

     (iii) A facility or operation that derives more than 75% of its

 

sales from the sale of spirits for consumption off premises under

 

the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1101

 

to 436.2303.

 

     (iv) A facility or operation that derives more than 75% of its

 

sales from the sale of tobacco products as defined under section 2

 

of the tobacco products tax act, 1993 PA 327, MCL 205.422.

 

     (j) (i) "Recovery zone" means a tool and die renaissance

 

recovery zone created in section 8d.

 

     (k) (j) "Renaissance zone" means a geographic area designated

 

under this act.

 

     (l) (k) "Renewable energy facility" means a system that creates

 

energy from a process using residues from agricultural products,

 

forest products, paper products industries, and food production and

 

processing; trees and grasses grown specifically to be used as

 

energy crops; and gaseous fuels produced from solid biomass, animal

 

wastes, or landfills.

 

     (m) (l) "Residential rental property" means that term as

 

defined in section 7ff of the general property tax act, 1893 PA

 

206, MCL 211.7ff.

 

     (n) "Retail redevelopment zone" means a renaissance zone for

 

qualified retail businesses designated under section 8g.

 

     (o) (m) "Review board" means the renaissance zone review board

 

created in section 5.


 

     (p) (n) "Rural area" means an area that lies outside of the

 

boundaries of an urban area.

 

     (q) (o) "Urban area" means an urbanized area as determined by

 

the economics and statistics administration, United States bureau

 

of the census according to the 1990 census.

 

     Sec. 8g. (1) Not later than October 1, 2008, the board of the

 

Michigan strategic fund defined in section 4 of the Michigan

 

strategic fund act, 1984 PA 270, MCL 125.2004, may designate not

 

more than 20 retail redevelopment zones within this state in 1 or

 

more cities or villages if that city or village or combination of

 

cities or villages consents to the creation of a retail

 

redevelopment zone within their boundaries. A retail redevelopment

 

zone shall be located in an area that is located in a downtown

 

district under 1975 PA 197, MCL 125.1651 to 125.1681. The board of

 

the Michigan strategic fund shall designate not less than 6 retail

 

redevelopment zones in areas located in downtown districts under

 

1975 PA 197, MCL 125.1651 to 125.1681, that are located in cities

 

or villages with populations of 25,000 or less.

 

     (2) Each retail redevelopment zone designated under this

 

section shall be 1 continuous distinct geographic area and contain

 

not more than 20 separate parcels of property.

 

     (3) The board of the Michigan strategic fund shall consider

 

all of the following when designating a retail redevelopment zone

 

for a qualified retail business:

 

     (a) The economic impact on the community in which the retail

 

redevelopment zone is located.

 

     (b) Whether the goals of a retail redevelopment zone can be


 

accomplished by locating qualified retail businesses in an existing

 

renaissance zone designated under section 8 or 8a.

 

     (c) The occupancy rates of the downtown district in the

 

proposed retail redevelopment zone.

 

     (d) Presence of blighted or functionally obsolete buildings in

 

the proposed retail redevelopment zone.

 

     (e) The likelihood that development within the retail

 

redevelopment zone will encourage cluster formation and bring

 

complimentary businesses to the community.

 

     (f) The likelihood that the proposed retail redevelopment zone

 

will bring new and diverse retail businesses to the community.

 

     (g) The pool of entrepreneurs that would likely benefit from

 

creation of the retail redevelopment zone.

 

     (h) The existence of a retail incubator or other community

 

infrastructure to assist retail entrepreneurs in the proposed

 

retail redevelopment zone.

 

     (4) The city or village with the assistance of the authority

 

under 1975 PA 197, MCL 125.1651 to 125.1681, shall report annually

 

to the Michigan strategic fund on all the following:

 

     (a) The amount of capital investment made in the retail

 

redevelopment zone.

 

     (b) The number of individuals employed in qualified retail

 

business in the retail redevelopment zone in the beginning and end

 

of the reporting period.

 

     (c) Any other conditions or requirements reasonably required

 

by the Michigan strategic fund.

 

     Sec. 9. (1) Except as otherwise provided in section 10, an


 

individual who is a resident of a renaissance zone or a business

 

that is located and conducts business activity within a renaissance

 

zone shall receive the exemption, deduction, or credit as provided

 

in the following for the period provided under section 6(2)(b):

 

     (a) Section 39b of the single business tax act, Act No. 228 of

 

the Public Acts of 1975, being section 208.39b of the Michigan

 

Compiled Laws 1975 PA 228, MCL 208.39b, and section 433 of the

 

Michigan business tax act, 2007 PA 36, MCL 208.1433.

 

     (b) Section 31 of the income tax act of 1967, Act No. 281 of

 

the Public Acts of 1967, being section 206.31 of the Michigan

 

Compiled Laws 1967 PA 281, MCL 206.31.

 

     (c) Section 35 of chapter 2 of the city income tax act, Act

 

No. 284 of the Public Acts of 1964, being section 141.635 of the

 

Michigan Compiled Laws 1964 PA 284, MCL 141.635.

 

     (d) Section 5 of the city utility users tax act, Act No. 100

 

of the Public Acts of 1990, being section 141.1155 of the Michigan

 

Compiled Laws 1990 PA 100, MCL 141.1155.

 

     (2) Except as otherwise provided in section 10, property

 

located in a renaissance zone is exempt from the collection of

 

taxes under all of the following:

 

     (a) Section 7ff of the general property tax act, Act No. 206

 

of the Public Acts of 1893, being section 211.7ff of the Michigan

 

Compiled Laws 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.7ff.

 

     (b) Section 11 of Act No. 198 of the Public Acts of 1974,

 

being section 207.561 of the Michigan Compiled Laws 1974 PA 198,

 

MCL 207.561.

 

     (c) Section 12 of the commercial redevelopment act, Act No.


 

255 of the Public Acts of 1978, being section 207.662 of the

 

Michigan Compiled Laws 1978 PA 255, MCL 207.662.

 

     (d) Section 21c of the enterprise zone act, Act No. 224 of the

 

Public Acts of 1985, being section 125.2121c of the Michigan

 

Compiled Laws 1985 PA 224, MCL 125.2121c.

 

     (e) Section 1 of Act No. 189 of the Public Acts of 1953, being

 

section 211.181 of the Michigan Compiled Laws 1953 PA 189, MCL

 

211.181.

 

     (f) Section 12 of the technology park development act, Act No.

 

385 of the Public Acts of 1984, being section 207.712 of the

 

Michigan Compiled Laws 1984 PA 385, MCL 207.712.

 

     (g) Section 51105 of part 511 (commercial forests) of the

 

natural resources and environmental protection act, Act No. 451 of

 

the Public Acts of 1994, being section 324.51105 of the Michigan

 

Compiled Laws 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.51105.

 

     (h) Section 9 of the neighborhood enterprise zone act, Act No.

 

147 of the Public Acts of 1992, being section 207.779 of the

 

Michigan Compiled Laws 1992 PA 147, MCL 207.779.

 

     (3) During the last 3 years that the taxpayer is eligible for

 

an exemption, deduction, or credit described in subsections (1) and

 

(2), the exemption, deduction, or credit shall be reduced by the

 

following percentages:

 

     (a) For the tax year that is 2 years before the final year of

 

designation as a renaissance zone, the percentage shall be 25%.

 

     (b) For the tax year immediately preceding the final year of

 

designation as a renaissance zone, the percentage shall be 50%.

 

     (c) For the tax year that is the final year of designation as


 

a renaissance zone, the percentage shall be 75%.

 

     Sec. 10. (1) An individual who is a resident of a renaissance

 

zone or a business that is located and conducts business activity

 

within a renaissance zone or a person that owns property located in

 

a renaissance zone is not eligible for the exemption, deduction, or

 

credit listed in section 9(1) or (2) for that taxable year if 1 or

 

more of the following apply:

 

     (a) The resident, business, or property owner is delinquent on

 

December 31 of the prior tax year under 1 or more of the following:

 

     (i) The single business tax act, 1975 PA 228, MCL 208.1 to

 

208.145, or the Michigan business tax act, 2007 PA 36, MCL 208.1101

 

to 208.1601.

 

     (ii) The income tax act of 1967, 1967 PA 281, MCL 206.1 to

 

206.532.

 

     (iii) 1974 PA 198, MCL 207.551 to 207.572.

 

     (iv) The commercial redevelopment act, 1978 PA 255, MCL 207.651

 

to 207.668.

 

     (v) The enterprise zone act, 1985 PA 224, MCL 125.2101 to

 

125.2123.

 

     (vi) 1953 PA 189, MCL 211.181 to 211.182.

 

     (vii) The technology park development act, 1984 PA 385, MCL

 

207.701 to 207.718.

 

     (viii) Part 511 of the natural resources and environmental

 

protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.51101 to 324.51120.

 

     (ix) The neighborhood enterprise zone act, 1992 PA 147, MCL

 

207.771 to 207.786.

 

     (x) The city utility users tax act, 1990 PA 100, MCL 141.1151


 

to 141.1177.

 

     (b) The resident, business, or property owner is substantially

 

delinquent as defined in a written policy by the qualified local

 

governmental unit in which the renaissance zone is located on

 

December 31 of the prior tax year under 1 or both of the following:

 

     (i) The city income tax act, 1964 PA 284, MCL 141.501 to

 

141.787.

 

     (ii) Taxes, fees, and special assessments collected under the

 

general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.157

 

211.155.

 

     (c) For residential rental property in a renaissance zone, the

 

residential rental property is not in substantial compliance with

 

all applicable state and local zoning, building, and housing laws,

 

ordinances, or codes and, except as otherwise provided in this

 

subdivision, the residential rental property owner has not filed an

 

affidavit before December 31 in the immediately preceding tax year

 

with the local tax collecting unit in which the residential rental

 

property is located as required under section 7ff of the general

 

property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.7ff. Beginning December 31,

 

2004, a residential rental property owner is not required to file

 

an affidavit if the qualified local governmental unit in which the

 

residential rental property is located determines that the

 

residential rental property is in substantial compliance with all

 

applicable state and local zoning, building, and housing laws,

 

ordinances, and codes on December 31 of the immediately preceding

 

tax year.

 

     (2) An individual who is a resident of a renaissance zone is


 

eligible for an exemption, deduction, or credit under section 9(1)

 

and (2) until the department of treasury determines that the

 

aggregate state and local tax revenue forgone as a result of all

 

exemptions, deductions, or credits granted under this act to that

 

individual reaches $10,000,000.00.

 

     (3) A casino located and conducting business activity within a

 

renaissance zone is not eligible for the exemption, deduction, or

 

credit listed in section 9(1) or (2). Real property in a

 

renaissance zone on which a casino is operated, personal property

 

of a casino located in a renaissance zone, and all property

 

associated or affiliated with the operation of a casino is not

 

eligible for the exemption, deduction, or credit listed in section

 

9(1) or (2). As used in this subsection, "casino" means a casino or

 

a parking lot, hotel, motel, or retail store owned or operated by a

 

casino, an affiliate, or an affiliated company, regulated by this

 

state pursuant to the Michigan gaming control and revenue act, the

 

Initiated Law of 1996 IL 1, MCL 432.201 to 432.226.

 

     (4) For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1997, an

 

individual who is a resident of a renaissance zone shall not be

 

denied the exemption under subsection (1) if the individual failed

 

to file a return on or before December 31 of the prior tax year

 

under subsection (1)(a)(ii) and that individual was entitled to a

 

refund under that act.

 

     (5) Only property that is located in a retail redevelopment

 

zone that is owned or leased by a qualified retail business and

 

business activity conducted in a retail redevelopment zone by a

 

qualified retail business are eligible for the exemptions,


 

deductions, or credits described in section 9(1).