Partnership Highlights for June 2026

Posted by on June 23, 2026

Advocacy Update

State Budget

The Michigan Legislature is in the thick of its budget negotiations as the July 1 deadline for the combined Senate and House budget approaches. While there was initial optimism that the budget would be submitted before the deadline, that timeline now looks unlikely. Both chambers are eager to dismiss for the summer to spend time with constituents in their districts, and House Speaker Matt Hall has said he is willing to extend negotiations into the fall if the Senate and the Governor cannot reach an agreement. Such a stopgap would be particularly challenging for schools and universities that operate on July 1 fiscal years.

Property Tax Reform (HB 5872–5879)

On May 22, the House moved a nine-bill package aimed at significantly cutting state and local property taxes. The package targets several key areas, including eliminating the “pop-up” tax when properties are sold, eliminating the State Education Tax (SET), and eliminating the state real estate transfer tax. There is significant concern among municipalities about how local entities would recoup the lost revenue.

Housing Readiness Package (HB 5529–5532, 5581–5585)

A May 14 hearing covered a package of bills aimed at establishing statewide standards to support additional housing development. The reforms address minimum lot, parcel, and dwelling sizes; the number of studies a local government can request during site plan review; petition requirements around overruling a zoning decision; parking requirements; definitions for duplexes and accessory dwelling units; and a timetable for site plan reviews (60 days maximum).

Election Season

Election season is ramping up, and LSCP has been busy hosting meetings with candidates on both sides of the aisle. These conversations help us share the region’s economic development priorities and highlight the important work already underway.

U.P. Energy Future Campaign

The Marquette County Ambassadors have released a public U.P. Energy Future Campaign addressing the urgent energy issues facing the Upper Peninsula. TV6 launched a public service announcement informing the community about how this may impact future energy bills. To support the effort, a landing page lets residents learn more about the issue, access contact information for key legislators, and send a pre-generated message directly to their elected officials.

2026 Mackinac Policy Conference

At the end of May, policymakers and leaders from across the state attended the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference, with the theme “A Quest for Common Ground” — prioritizing pragmatic, bipartisan solutions and collaboration. The conference featured discussions on economic development, infrastructure, workforce, housing, energy, education, and Michigan’s future competitiveness. Full sessions from the event are available to view here.

Emergency Preparedness

At a recent Breakfast and Business event at The Mather in Ishpeming, LSCP highlighted how communities, businesses, and individuals can better prepare for an emergency. Attendees heard from Brian Hummel and Brian Kurin of Marquette County Emergency Management, Nate Heffron of the City of Negaunee, and Daniel Yoder of the SBDC. Helpful resources shared at the event include:

Data Centers: What Rural Communities in Northern Michigan Need to Know

As a partner of the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance (NMCA), LSCP recently attended an event in Gaylord to better understand how northern Michigan communities can assess the impacts of data centers. The NMCA hosted a neutral, fact-based forum that facilitated a productive dialogue about what local leaders need to know. Recorded sessions and resources are available here.

Behind the Scenes

Beyond our events, advocacy, and day-to-day work, LSCP is always on the lookout for additional resources to support the local economy. In just the last two weeks alone, LSCP applied to three grant programs, seeking a total of $772,000 to support small-business programming and key community redevelopment projects. These vital programs help us continue and expand economic development work in Marquette County and the Central U.P. alike.

LSCP Leadership

This period also marked a leadership transition at LSCP. After four years of leadership, Christopher Germain concluded his tenure with the organization. LSCP’s incoming CEO steps into a very strong organization, team, partner network, and membership — with a renewed resolve to meaningfully improve LSCP’s impact on the community.

LSCP also recently held elections for its board officers. The slate of leadership is:

  • Chair: Rhea Dever — Vice President, People, Culture & Wellbeing, Northern Michigan University
  • Vice Chair: Robert Luke — Sales Manager, Upper Peninsula, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
  • Treasurer: Bryan DeAugustine — Superintendent, NICE Community Schools
  • Secretary: Rick Rhoades — VP/General Manager, TV6 WLUC

Scott Knaffla, Financial Advisor and Managing Director of Flourish Financial, completes the Executive Committee as immediate past Chair. A full list of the board of directors can be found here.

Partnership Highlights is our bi-weekly update for community leaders, local government partners, and key stakeholders, with highlights shared monthly on the LSCP blog to keep the broader community informed on the work shaping prosperous communities across Marquette County.

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