Julie Calley 87th District State Rep, was in the audience at the Hastings City Council meeting Monday and was invited to speak by Mayor David Tossava. Calley reported she was one of 43 freshmen in the legislature and has been appointed to the transportation, health, agriculture and elections committees. She invited constituents to visit her office, noting that was, “the best part of my job.”
Calley explained why she did not support the recent proposal to cut the state income tax.
“I agree with low taxation,” she said. However, the amended bill requirements, when added to already passed budget items, would create a deficit of more than $2 billion in just five years.
She said she wouldn’t support cuts without ways to pay for them.
“My take on the legislation was that that I could not pass a tax cut now and proclaim myself a hero, only to force Michigan to deal with the ramifications at a later date,” she said later. “We need to end the kick-the-can-down-the-road approach and start proposing tax cuts one year at a time so we can effectively deal with the budget process ourselves.”
In other business, the council rejected a request by Pastor Daniel Quanstrom of the Church of the Nazarene to place a Little Pantry with non-food personal care items for those who need them at the city’s First Ward Park. Council members said it was a great idea, but granting a request for the pantry on city property would, “open a can of worms,” and is not the right place to put the small wooden structure. Quanstrom accepted the council’s offer for city staff to work with him to find a way for the church to provide the service.
Also Monday, the council approved a Million Dog March at Tyden Park on April 22 to raise funds for the Hastings Dog Park and agreed to a parking agreement with Bolthouse Merchandising from March 1 through the summer event season at the Thornapple Plaza season for $1.
