Are House-passed bills anti-speculative measures strong enough?
The Michigan House of Representatives has approved legislation that would allow qualified local governments to make dramatic cuts in property taxes on agricultural land. It is the Legislatures latest attempt to tax farmland for its agricultural value rather than its development value in a longstanding effort to preserve active farmland from commercial and residential development. The bill, which now goes to the state Senate for debate, would grant dramatic tax reductions of between 60 and 75 percent to working farms. To qualify, local governments would have to have a comprehensive land use plan in place, and landowners would have to agree to keep farming for at least 20 more years. In exchange, the states currently very hard-pressed general fund would lose an estimated $27 million annually in lower property tax revenues, after a five-year ramp-up period that would start in 2006.
Thanks to Keith Schneider
FULL STORY: Lansing Tries Again on Farmland Tax Reform

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

Lakewood Celebrates Arbor Day and Strengthens Urban Forestry Legacy
Lakewood celebrated Arbor Day and its 43rd year as a Tree City USA community with a youth-led tree planting event at O’Kane Park, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to urban forestry and environmental education.

NYC Congestion Pricing Continues to Show Positive Results
While the Trump administration attempts to revoke the program’s federal approval, congestion pricing continues to reduce traffic, speed up bus travel times, and improve air quality in Manhattan.

Grassroots Dutch Movement Replaces Pavement With Green Space
Neighbors engage in a practice known as “tegelwippen,” picking up paving stones and replacing them with permeable surfaces, often with the support of local governments.
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